Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, did not rule out the possibility of the presence of Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the downed Il-76 plane in the Belgorod region .
"So far, there is no confirmed information, except that the plane fell. Russian information is limited, mostly not from official sources, so Ukraine insists on the formation of an international commission to investigate the incident," Yusov told BBC correspondent Sara Rainsford.
When asked if it is known that Ukraine shot down the plane, he answered: "We do not confirm such information."
Russia claims that 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war destined for exchange were on board the Il-76, which was shot down on January 24. It is noted that all 74 people died, including crew members and escort.
Ukrainian intelligence, in turn, reports that only the bodies of five crew members were delivered to the Belgorod morgue.
Russia's Investigative Committee has released a short video showing blood on the snow, the wreckage of the plane and a large blackened area of land as a result of its crash.
The recording includes some details of human bodies, but limited footage from the scene.
On January 25, the Security Service of Ukraine announced the start of a criminal investigation into the plane crash. The investigation is carried out under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which deals with violations of the laws and customs of war.
Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine indicated in an official statement that Russia used aircraft to transport weapons that were regularly used to shell the Kharkiv region. It is noted that the Ukrainian army observed this and took measures "regarding the elimination of means of delivery" of weapons.
Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschuk also issued a statement in which he emphasized that "Ukraine has the right to self-defense and the destruction of the aggressor's means of air attack."
In a conversation with BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford, the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, noted that Ukraine will consider all possible versions of the event as part of the investigation into the case of the downed plane.
Yusov reminded that military operations are ongoing in the territory of Belgorod region, which led to the closure of Belgorod for civil aviation, a significant amount of air defense is also located there.
According to a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, both sides used drones over Belgorod on the day of the disaster. Ukrainian drones were reconnaissance, and Russian drones were used for strike actions. It is also stated that Russian air defense was active, and Belgorod was potentially within the range of Ukrainian air defense systems.
Yusov suggested that the downing of the plane could be the result of "friendly fire" from the Russian army or a planned provocation. He pointed to the need for an independent investigation by an international commission, which should involve representatives of other countries and international organizations, emphasizing the importance of full access to the scene of the tragedy and any parts of the plane or missile.
Yusov emphasized that it was the Il-76 plane that crashed, which was previously used to transport ammunition for strategic aviation and "missiles for the S-300 and S-400 systems" to the Belgorod region.
Regarding the exchange of prisoners, he confirmed that it was planned and was to take place in Sumy Oblast, not in Belgorod, west of Belgorod. A representative of the Central Intelligence Agency rejected Russia's claim of a warning about the use of the plane to transport prisoners, saying that such information did not come from Russia.
According to Yusov, it is possible that the plane can transport both people and ammunition at the same time. He emphasized the need for a detailed investigation, as well as the determination of the role of the international commission in this process.
