Ukraine dismisses Russia’s claims that 65 prisoners of war were killed in shot-down plane as propaganda

UKRAINE has dismissed Russia’s claims that 65 prisoners of war were killed in a shot-down plane as propaganda.

Moscow has said the Ukrainian PoWs were among 74 who died when a missile hit the IL-76 in Belgorod region.

Kyiv officials who deal with prisoner exchanges said Russian counterparts had “with great delay” given them the 65 names.

But they said relatives could not identify loved ones in crash-site photos.

Ukraine military intelligence chief Lt Col Kyrylo Budanov said: “We don’t have evidence there could have been that many people on board.

“Russian propaganda’s claim continues to raise a lot of questions.”

Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied that it downed the plane.

Earlier in the week, there were fears that Ukraine had blown up the plane themselves.

Ukraine has promised to reply to the Moscow charge that it killed its own people on board the Russian plane – but only after it had examined all the evidence. 

But OSINT sources and analysts pointed to striking inconsistencies in the Russian claims. 

Footage at the site of the crash in Belgorod region does not so far show multiple bodies – or parts – at the scene. 

The bloody remains of one body may be visible on a blurred image.