Putin claims Russian IL-76 couldn't have been downed by friendly fire

The Russian air defense forces couldn't have shot down their IL-76 near Belgorod, claimed Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, citing a friend or foe identification system on Russian aircraft, yet Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (HUR), in an interview with Radio Svoboda, countered this claim by stating that instances of friendly fire against their aircraft by the Russians have been repeatedly recorded, demonstrating that the system is not always effective.

"Regarding the words of a person resembling Putin in this situation, as always, he is being deceptive. Firstly, friendly fire and the shooting down of Russian planes by their air defense and anti-missile systems have been repeatedly recorded in various parts of Russia and the occupied territories, near the front line," he said.

Yusov also pointed out that the friend or foe system does not always work, and in the case of the operation of portable complex calculations, which are abundant in Belgorod, it is not an argument at all.

The HUR representative noted that the Russian dictator's words are "more of an excuse."

Ukrainian defenders have already confirmed instances of friendly fire by the occupiers' air defense on their aircraft: particularly, on December 17, 2023, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that the occupiers accidentally shot down their Su-25, resulting in the pilot's death.

Russian Z-propagandists themselves periodically report similar instances.

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