The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced today the launch of an investigation into yesterday’s crash of a Russian military aircraft in the border region of Belgoront, with Moscow accusing Kiev of shooting it down while Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board.

“The investigation is being conducted under Article 438 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (violation of the laws and customs of war),” the SBU said, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of “playing” with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners.

“The SBU is taking steps to clarify the circumstances” of the disaster, it added in a statement.

Meanwhile, Russian lawmaker Andrei Kartapalov, quoted by the Interfax news agency, said Russia and Ukraine would continue prisoner exchanges despite the downing of a Russian military plane.

Kartapolov said that Russia will talk “even with the devil” in order to bring back its captured soldiers, according to Interfax.

Moscow blames Kiev that he shot down the plane in which, as he said, 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board. Ukraine did not immediately confirm it had shot it down and disputed key points of Moscow’s narrative.

Kartapolov also stated that Ukraine’s military intelligence service GUR had been alerted 15 minutes before the Russian plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war entered the area where it was shot down by Ukraine.

Kartapolov, who is the head of the defense committee of the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, and is a general of the E.A. with close relations with the Ministry of Defense, stated that the GUR had confirmed to the Russian side that it had received notification of the incoming plane.

GUR said on Wednesday it had not been told how Russia would bring the prisoners to the handover point and said Ukraine had not been asked to ensure the security of the airspace around Belgorod unlike in previous prisoner exchanges.

Kartapolov’s statements were made public by his United Russia party.