Moskalkova reported on the transfer to Kiev of the bodies of those killed in the crash of IL-76

Russia has handed over to Ukraine the bodies of prisoners of war who died in the crash of the IL-76 airplane in January. This was announced on December 9 by Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova.

"They have been handed over. This has been accomplished, and I was present at it," she told RIA Novosti in response to a relevant question.

The ombudsman also confirmed that the sides will continue exchanging the bodies of those killed in the fighting. Moskalkova called it one of the main humanitarian topics, as it is a chance for people to say goodbye to their loved ones.

"These actions [to continue the exchange] are constantly carried out by our Defense Ministry in cooperation with Ukraine's defense agency," she specified.

The crash of the IL-76 plane occurred in the Belgorod region on January 24. On board the plane were six crew members, 65 Ukrainian prisoners for exchange and three Russian servicemen accompanying them. All were killed. Tattoos characteristic of the Ukrainian military were found on fragments of the bodies of the captives who died in the crash.

On January 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an international investigation into the plane crash. By February 1, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation had already found a number of evidences that Il-76 was shot down by a missile of the US Patriot SAM system, which was in service with the Ukrainian army. In June, the agency re-confirmed this fact based on the results of numerous expert examinations.

The New York Times also reported that the Ilyushin Il-76 was shot down by an American Patriot missile, citing US officials. The newspaper's sources confirmed that the missile system was provided by a European Union country.