<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the crashed military plane in the country’s Belgorod region a week ago was “shot down” by a Patriot air defense system.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The plane was shot down -- this has already been established for sure -- by the American Patriot (air defense) system. An examination has already established this,” Putin said during a meeting in Moscow.</div><div><br></div><div>Expressing that Russia insists on holding an international investigation into the crash, Putin said he did not understand why Ukraine downed the plane.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down our Il-76 plane, which was carrying 65 of their own servicemen intended for exchange. You asked why they did this. I don’t know. I don’t understand,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Last Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of shooting down a plane carrying 65 captured Ukrainian servicemen for a prisoner exchange.</div><div><br></div><div>The crew and all passengers on the plane were killed, it said, calling it "a terrorist attack" mounted to accuse Russia of killing Ukrainian servicemen.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine's Defense Intelligence claimed the incident could be a “planned and deliberate” action by Moscow to “destabilize” the situation. It said it currently does not have “reliable and comprehensive information” about who and how many people were onboard.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will insist on an international investigation into the crash.​​​​​​​ - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>