Zelensky: Iran pleads guilty of downed UIA plane, Ukraine close to punishing those responsible for the tragedy, receiving compensation for victims' families
On Friday, on the anniversary of the crash of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight PS752, shot down by Iranian air defense forces near Tehran, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the passenger plane was shot down deliberately, all those responsible for the crime will be brought to justice, and the relatives of the victims will receive compensation.
"No one has any doubts that the lives of 176 civilians on board a peaceful plane were criminally taken away with two missiles. It was impossible not to know then that it was a passenger plane in the air. Not to understand that the first missile hit a non-military target was also impossible. This is already axiomatic data. This is something that was quickly established thanks to the professional work of our security specialists, experts and diplomats. This is what the world community absolutely agrees with," Zelensky wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.
He stressed that all those responsible for this catastrophe will certainly be brought to justice: "In the modern world there is no chance that such a crime will remain without a proper response. There is no statute of limitations for such crimes either."
"Moreover, Iran has already admitted its guilt. And we, obviously, are also moving towards effective punishment of the perpetrators and the receipt of proper compensation for the families of the victims. All this will certainly be done. Because this way is a fair way. Although all this, unfortunately, will never compensate for human losses," Zelensky wrote.
According to him, the crew of the aircraft acted absolutely clearly and according to the rules, did everything professionally, to the last being responsible for the lives of passengers. That also was recognized by all. "The least that the state could do for the memory of our people is to mark them with the titles of Heroes of Ukraine. To forever capture the names of heroes in our history," the president wrote.
According to him, there will be a memorable place "very soon" where relatives of the victims, ordinary citizens, could come to remember, think, sit nearby.
"No matter how much time and effort the negotiation process and all the necessary international work requires, we will receive all the answers and we will definitely receive all the necessary compensation. Today we must sincerely honor the memory of 11 of our citizens, whose lives were taken on that tragic day. And we must sincerely support families who lost their relatives that day," Zelensky wrote.