This appears to reference an incident from January 2024, when a Russian aircraft carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war was shot down near Belgorod. Ukraine was indeed responsible for downing the plane—The New York Times reports that American officials briefed on the incident confirmed Ukraine used a Patriot air defense missile.
However, no sources confirm that Azov regiment members were among the killed POWs. Moreover, responsibility for the tragedy remains disputed. As BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent Sarah Rainsford noted: "The Ukrainian military intelligence statement is implicit acknowledgement from Ukraine that it did shoot down the Russian military transport plane. But crucially it says it has no verified information on who was on board."
A New York Times reassessment of the incident published a year later in 2025 reveals the competing narratives. Ukrainian officials argue the IL-76 aircraft had previously transported ammunition and missiles, making it a legitimate military target. They also claim Russia failed to notify Ukraine that prisoners were being transported to Belgorod's airport. Russian officials dispute this, maintaining they had properly notified Ukraine's military.
Ultimately, it's true that Ukraine shot down the plane but it's misleading to suggest that it was to silence Azov regiment members.
