Ukraine Begins Identification of Bodies Transferred by Russia from Il-76 Crash

Ukraine has received remains from Russia, which it claims belong to Ukrainian soldiers who died in the crash of an Il-76 military aircraft in January 2024. However, Ukrainian authorities have stated that further identification is necessary to confirm whether the remains indeed belong to Ukrainian personnel.

On December 9, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced that Russia had transferred the remains during recent repatriation efforts. According to the statement, the bodies, believed to be those of individuals killed in the Il-76 crash in Belgorod, Russia, will undergo further forensic examination in Ukraine.

“Regarding Russia’s statements about the transfer of bodies of Ukrainian soldiers allegedly killed in the Il-76 crash, the remains received during recent repatriation efforts require additional identification,” the statement said. “Expert institutions are working within the framework of a criminal investigation to verify the identities of the deceased.”

Earlier, Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA-Novosti reported, citing Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova, that the remains of military prisoners killed in the crash had been handed over to Ukraine. Russia claims the bodies are of Ukrainian soldiers who died in the Il-76 plane crash.

On January 24 2024, a Russian Il-76 military cargo plane reported by Russia to be carrying 65 Ukrainian POWs crashed in Russia’s Belgorod region. The cause of the crash was never made clear and Ukraine called for an international investigation, which Russia rejected.