Russian MP stated that military intelligence of Ukraine had received 15 minutes warning before one transport aircraft of the Russian Air Force which he carried Ukrainian prisoners of war enter the area where was shot down yesterdayWednesday.

Moscow accuses Kiev of shooting down the Ilyushin-76 airliner in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing all 74 on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were being transported to be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied the claim, but has called for an international investigation.

“The Ukrainian side was officially warned, and 15 minutes before the plane entered the zone they were given full information, which they received and the Main Directorate of the Intelligence Services of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the receipt,” Andrei Kartapolov told fellow lawmakers, according to with the ruling United Russia party.

“We all know very well what happened next,” added Kartapolov, a former general with close ties to the defense ministry who is chairman of the parliamentary defense committee.

His statement contradicted a statement by Ukrainian military intelligence that Russia had not been briefed on the flight’s arrangements.

Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov reiterated today, speaking to Radio Svoboda, that Kiev had received neither a written nor a verbal request from Russia to avoid attacks in the airspace where the plane was shot down.

Yusov added that two other Russian transport planes, an Antonov-26 and an Antonov-72, were in the airspace at the time.

“Unfortunately, we can assume several scenarios, including that of provocation [προβοκάτσια]as well as using Ukrainian prisoners as human shields to transport ammunition and weapons,” he said.

Conflicting narratives from both sides are given on a daily basis in a war that turns two years old next month. But the stakes are particularly high in relation to yesterday’s incident, the deadliest of its kind to take place on Russia’s own soil.

Fragments of what appeared to be a missile were found where the plane crashed in Russia’s southwestern Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported, citing emergency services.

Moscow calls the downing of the Ukrainian plane a “terrorist act”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that more clarity was needed about what happened, particularly who was on the plane, and accused Russia of “playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners”.

He called for an international investigation, a call echoed today by Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

“But I am convinced that … the Russians will make loud statements but not allow anyone inside. They will not hand over any material for analysis and will simply blame Ukraine,” Lubinets said on public television.

Only Russia has access to the plane’s crash site, where television images showed debris strewn across snowy fields. TASS reported that the aircraft’s black boxes had been found and would be flown to Moscow for examination by a Defense Ministry laboratory.

The UN Security Council is expected to meet today at midnight Greek time following Russia’s request.