Putin: US Patriot system used to shoot down II-76 plane last week

Russian investigators have concluded that a US Patriot air defense system was used to shoot down an Il-76 military transport plane that crashed near the border with Ukraine last week, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, Report informs, citing The Moscow Times.

“It’s been definitively established that the plane was shot down by an American Patriot air defense system,” Putin said during an event with supporters as part of his presidential campaign.

He added that Moscow “insists” on an international investigation into the incident, which took place in western Russia’s Belgorod region last Wednesday.

Putin said Friday it was “obvious” that Kyiv had shot down the Il-76 transport plane.