Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Investigators Say Military Plane Shot Down by Patriot Missile System

A projectile fragment purportedly found at the crash site of the Il-76 airlifter. Russian Investigative Committee

Russian investigators concluded Friday that two missiles launched from a U.S.-made surface-to-air system shot down a military transport plane near the Russian-Ukrainian border last week. 

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said over 100 fragments of MIM-104A anti-aircraft missiles, as well as hundreds of body parts, were recovered from the crash site in the western Belgorod region. 

“It has been established that on Jan. 24, 2024, [Ukrainian] servicemen from the Liptsy settlement in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region attacked an Il-76 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces with two missiles using an anti-aircraft system,” the law enforcement body said.

Its statement was accompanied by a video showing investigators inspecting the fragments.

“An expert analysis concluded that the fragments’ design features, geometric characteristics and markings are elements of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the U.S. Patriot system, developed by the Raytheon and Hughes corporations and manufactured by Raytheon.” 

In a separate statement, the Investigative Committee said that more than 670 body parts were recovered from the crash site.

“Genetic examination results made it possible to conclude unambiguously that the body fragments belonged to six crew members, three military police officers and 65 Ukrainian servicemen who died when the plane crashed,” it said.

On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said it had “definitely been established” that the Il-76 transport plane was shot down by missiles fired from a Patriot anti-aircraft system.

Ukraine has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the crash.

While Moscow has called for an international investigation into the incident, it has yet to take concrete steps that would allow for such an investigation to take place, and the findings revealed by Russian law enforcement on Thursday have not been independently verified. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more