"Russia Accuses Ukraine of Downing Plane Carrying Ukrainian POWs in Military Conflict"

A Russian military jet crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border, killing all 74 people on board, including 65 reported Ukrainian prisoners of war. The cause of the crash and the identity of those on the jet have not been independently verified. Russian officials claim the jet was shot down by Ukrainian forces, while Ukrainian officials have not commented pending analysis. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the POWs were being transported for exchange, but this has not been confirmed. Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging POWs since the war began, with the latest exchange occurring in early January.