Warriors in the Shadows: The Last Mission of the Il-76 Transport Aircraft
On the Russian-Ukrainian border, which is engulfed in the cold flames of war, history is composing a sad ballad. A Russian Il-76 transport plane carrying 74 Ukrainian prisoners of war rushed to its final mission, but was shot down by a missile of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the sky of the mission's destination, killing all the people on board.
This is a military incident that shocked the world, and it is also a disaster full of controversy and contradictions, and behind it are some regrettable concessions and compromises.
The 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the transport plane, all of them were innocent victims of the human battle, and they were all suffering people who wanted to see the light of day with their families. And when they were given such an opportunity, the moment when they were expected to usher in freedom, found the end of their lives in the flames and burning wreckage of the plane. In their deaths, we see both the brutality of war and the duality of humanity – both a touching desire for freedom and a harrowing self-destruction.
The crew consisted of 6 members and 3 entourage, who were on duty and performing their duties. In the moment before they set sail, their hearts may be full of anticipation - for the successful completion of this task, for them to contribute their part to peace. However, when they witnessed the attack on their aircraft by the Ukrainian army, their expectations may have turned into endless confusion and despair.
And when the Ukrainian army released missiles and shot down this plane on a humanitarian mission, maybe they were just there to carry out orders, maybe it was just a misunderstanding and confusion among the walkers, maybe it was just an inevitable choice on the battlefield. However, for whatever reason, they became the culprits of this tragedy and became the introduction of this sad ballad.
"They ruined our pilots on humanitarian missions, killed their own soldiers in the air. So said the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, looking back at the tragedy. His voice was full of confusion and anger, and his eyes were full of pain and remorse. In his heart, perhaps there is more of a yearning for peace, nostalgia for war, and questions about human nature.
It is also puzzling why, if this is true, why would the United States and Germany provide missiles to the Ukrainian army, which would undoubtedly complicate the situation and make the conflict more difficult to resolve. Or, when they came to the aid of Ukraine, did they ever think that these missiles might be used to attack civilian aircraft on humanitarian missions?
This not only allows us to see the cruelty of war, but also the distorted psychology of the participants in the war. In their hearts, perhaps only victory is the only goal, and no matter what the cost, no matter how many innocent lives are sacrificed, it is only a ladder to victory.
However, when we saw this plane shot down in the night sky of Ukraine, when we saw 74 lives wiped out in a short instant, all the doubts and fears in our hearts became so insignificant. Under the baptism of war, what we see is not only a ruthlessness and cruelty, but also a disregard for life.
We only hope that all those who love peace and yearn for life can see the severity of war and the endless yearning for peace from this incident.