The ministry claimed the incident was a deliberate attack by Ukrainian forces and has called it a "terrorist act."

The plane, an Ilyushin Il-76, was reportedly en route to Ukraine for a prisoner exchange when it was struck by two missiles fired from the village of Liptsy in the Kharkiv region. All 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian POWs, six crew members, and three escorts, were killed.

The Russian Defense Ministry claims the Ukrainian authorities were fully aware of the planned exchange and accuses them of deliberately targeting the plane to prevent the release of the POWs.

"The aircraft was destroyed by the armed forces of Ukraine from the village of Liptsy, Kharkiv region, using an anti-aircraft missile system. Radar facilities of the Russian Aerospace Forces recorded the launch of two Ukrainian missiles," the ministry said in a statement.

"The Ukrainian leadership showed its true face – it neglected the lives of its citizens," the statement added.

There has been no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities regarding the incident.

Independent verification of the event and the Russian claims is currently not possible. The situation on the ground in Ukraine remains highly volatile, and it is important to treat all information with caution until more details emerge.

This incident has the potential to significantly escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and it is likely to be closely monitored by the international community in the coming days and weeks.

It is important to note that the claims made by the Russian Defense Ministry have not been independently verified, and the Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the incident. (ILKHA)