Russians attacked Kharkiv for the third time on January 23

According to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, Russian forces launched a missile strike on the center of Kharkiv using S-300 missiles, resulting in injuries, including a four-year-old child. The city's mayor, Igor Terekhov, reported the third attack on Kharkiv within a day, emphasizing that the targeted area consisted of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, such as shops, hospitals, and pharmacies, with no military objects present. Terekhov stated that seven people were injured as a result of the attack.

Russian Il-76 transport plane crashes in Belgorod Oblast

A Russian Il-76 transport aircraft crashed in Russia's Belgorod Oblast on January 24 at around 11 a.m. local time, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Although initial reports from Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in the Ukrainian military, suggested that the plane was carrying S-300 missiles and might have been downed by Ukrainian forces, this information was later retracted. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the plane was transporting 65 captured Ukrainian military personnel for a prisoner exchange, along with six crew members and three accompanying individuals.

Currently, it is impossible to confirm or deny these claims, and Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War urged caution, emphasizing that the enemy is actively conducting disinformation campaigns. The Ukrainian military and Air Force had not made official statements about the incident at the time of reporting.

Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that an exchange of prisoners between the Russian Federation and Ukraine was being prepared today, said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the department, in a comment to Radio Liberty.

"But I can state that the exchange planned for today is currently not taking place. The information that the prisoners of war could be in the Il-76 plane is currently being checked," he said.

The information will be verified and updated sooner today.

Russians hit hospital in Kherson, wounding medics

Russian forces targeted a hospital in the city of Kherson, resulting in two medical workers and a 60-year-old woman being injured. According to Oleksandr Prokudin, the Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, explosions were reported in Kherson, with ongoing attacks on residential areas. The hospital was among the targets, and two medical workers suffered injuries. Additionally, a 60-year-old woman from Kherson sustained blast injuries and a leg wound. The situation reflects the continuation of attacks on civilian infrastructure and areas in the ongoing conflict.

Russians claim downing of Il-76 plane disrupted prisoner exchange, Ukrainian POW Headquarters issue statement

After the Russian Il-76 transport aircraft crashed in Belgorod Oblast, Russian media, particularly Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Defence, propagated the claim that the plane carried numerous Ukrainian prisoners of war destined for an exchange. Kartapolov asserted that the aircraft was part of a planned "192-for-192" exchange, with the first plane allegedly carrying 65 prisoners. He further claimed that the plane was downed by three Patriot or IRIS-T missiles, suggesting external interference. Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets responded by initiating an investigation into the incident. Lubinets cautioned against the spread of unverified information, urging reliance on official sources and highlighting potential enemy provocations and disinformation campaigns. While it is confirmed that Ukraine was preparing for a prisoner exchange, the specific details surrounding the incident, including the timing, location, and exact number of prisoners involved, remain unclear.

As the situation unfolds, both Russian and Ukrainian authorities continue to present conflicting narratives, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and caution in interpreting the evolving events. The uncertainty surrounding the incident and the potential manipulation of information underscores the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict and the significance of verifying reports from credible sources before drawing conclusions. The investigation initiated by Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets seeks to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the downed aircraft and the status of the individuals it purportedly carried, further highlighting the need for accurate and verified information amid the complexities of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

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