KYIV: Ukraine’s SBU security service on Thursday opened a criminal probe into the downing of a Russian military plane that Moscow said killed 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Kyiv has not said whether captured Ukrainian soldiers were killed — or if it was involved — in Wednesday’s shooting down of a military transport plane over Russia’s western Belgorod region, close to the border with Ukraine.
“The security service of Ukraine has opened a criminal investigation into the downing of an IL-76 Russian Air Force plane in the Belgorod region,” the SBU press service said.
“The SBU is currently taking a range of measures to clarify all the circumstances of the downing,” it said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Wednesday for an international investigation into the incident.
Kyiv has confirmed a prisoner exchange was due to take place on Wednesday at the border between the two countries, but said Moscow did not inform them that any POWs would be transported by plane.
Ukraine has also not confirmed or denied Russia’s central claim that Kyiv shot down the plane, killing dozens of Ukrainian soldiers on board.
The SBU said its criminal probe was considering “violations of the laws and customs of war.”
Zelensky warned on Thursday that Ukraine’s ability to ascertain facts surrounding the crash would be hampered given that it happened on Russian territory.
Ukraine opens criminal probe into downing of Russian plane
https://arab.news/2gc64
Ukraine opens criminal probe into downing of Russian plane
- Ukraine has not confirmed or denied Russia’s central claim that Kyiv shot down the plane
EU leaders reject Trump’s tariffs threat over Greenland
- “We won’t let ourselves be intimidated,” Kristersson said
- “Only Denmark and Greenland decide questions that concern them”
AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands’ foreign minister on Sunday said that US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on European allies until they agree to sell Greenland to the United States is “blackmail.”
“It’s blackmail what he’s doing ... and it’s not necessary. It doesn’t help the alliance (NATO) and it also doesn’t help Greenland,” David van Weel said in an interview on Dutch television.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said additional 10 percent import tariffs would take effect on February 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Great Britain — countries that have agreed to contribute personnel to a NATO exercise on Greenland.
Van Weel said the Greenland mission was intended to show the US Europe’s willingness to help defend Greenland and he was opposed to Trump making a connection with diplomacy over the island and trade.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson earlier rejected Trump’s threat to European nations of swinging tariffs if they did not let him acquire Greenland.
“We won’t let ourselves be intimidated,” he said in a message sent to AFP. “Only Denmark and Greenland decide questions that concern them.
“I will always defend my country and our allied neighbors,” he added, stressing that this was “a European question.
“Sweden is currently having intensive discussions with other EU countries, Norway and the United Kingdom to find a joint response,” he added.
