American Weapons May Have Crossed Putin's Red Line Story by Jon Jackson • 31 January 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at an event for his presidential campaign in Moscow, Russia, on January 31, 2024. During the event, Putin claimed a Russian investigation found a U.S.-made Patriot system was used to shoot down a Russian aircraft last week on Russian territory. © Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said an investigation conducted by his country found a U.S.-made Patriot air defense system was used to shoot down an Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane in Russian territory last week.
During the course of the war in Ukraine, Kremlin officials have said the use of Western weapons by Kyiv inside Russian territory could constitute a crossing of a so-called "red line" that could result in an escalation of the conflict. At various times, Kremlin officials had said even providing long-range weapons could cross a red line.
These warnings caused some initial hesitancy by the United States to give Kyiv such arms, but the U.S. and other Western allies eventually supplied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's forces with various weapons capable of hitting Russia.
The Il-76 crash on January 24 in Russia's Belgorod region, which sits near the Ukrainian border, drew international attention. Everyone onboard was killed, and Russia claimed that included 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war meant for a prisoner exchange. Ukraine did not accept responsibility for downing the aircraft and has expressed doubt it carried POWs.
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"It's been definitively established that the plane was shot down by an American Patriot air defense system," Putin said during a presidential campaign event on Wednesday, according to The Moscow Times.
Newsweek could not independently verify Putin's claims regarding a Russian investigation into the incident. The Russian and Ukrainian ministries of foreign affairs were contacted via email on Wednesday for comment.
The Russian leader reportedly went on to say that it was "obvious" Ukraine was behind the downing of the Il-76 before insisting on an international investigation into the crash.
Following the Il-76 crash, Andrey Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament's defense committee, said a Patriot system or a German-made Iris T system was used in the incident. Kartapolov also said that Moscow had given Kyiv a 15-minute warning before the aircraft entered the area where it came down.
Russia's preliminary investigation also said that an anti-aircraft missile launched from Liptsy, a village in the Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine, downed the aircraft.
The UN Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the incident but said it could not establish the circumstances of the crash.
On Wednesday, Putin allowed Ukraine may have downed the plane by accident, according to independent Russian media outlet Meduza's account of his comments at the campaign event.
"Ukrainian Armed forces shot down our plane, which was carrying 65 of their servicemen intended for an exchange. You asked why they did that. I don't know. I don't understand," Putin said, reportedly adding that even if it was an accident, "it would still be a crime."
Poster Comment:
Patton was right. We should have fought the Russians when we had the men and equipment there to do it.