Large number of fakes about Il-76 aircraft appeared due to lack of coordinated communication

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn (Golos parliamentary faction), chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, expressed this opinion in a commentary to Ukrinform.

"The information field yesterday [January 24] resembled ping-pong, where the ball was either on the side of official sources or on the side of Russian "media" and anonymous telegram channels. In my opinion, the number of messages from the authorities should have been fewer but clearer. When high-profile information needs to be clarified, it is necessary to speak honestly about it. For example, the official channels could have briefly commented on this event with the following words: "Comprehensive actions are being taken to find out the causes of the downing of the Russian IL-76 aircraft and its passengers. We urge you to trust the official communication channels and ignore the manipulations of the enemy and anonymous sources," Yurchyshyn said.

According to him, the next message should have appeared only when the Ukrainian special services had one hundred percent evidence of what happened to the plane and who was on board.

"All the hints, half-tones, 'insights' from individuals are either deliberate playing along with the enemy or a desire to capitalize on a hot topic. The key point that was missing in this matter was coherent communication. In such cases, our law enforcement agencies should coordinate the available information, messages and time of publication," emphasized the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech.

Yurchyshyn emphasized that coherence is a good safeguard against manipulations and fakes.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, according to Russian Telegram channels, on January 24, an IL-76 aircraft, which is used to transport military equipment and troops, crashed in the Belgorod region.

Sources in the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted that the plane was carrying missiles for the S-300 air defense system, which the invaders use for massive shelling of Kharkiv and other border regions of Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the plane "was carrying 65 captured Ukrainian servicemen," as well as six crew members and three escorts.

A representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Andriy Yusov, said that the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine was supposed to take place on January 24. According to him, the information voiced by the Russian side that the prisoners of war could have been in the IL-76 plane that crashed in the Belgorod region is being checked.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would insist on an international investigation into the situation around the downing of the Russian IL-76 in the Belgorod region.