For purposes of this analysis I am presuming that Ukrainian missiles did indeed down a Russian plane near Belgorod in Russia.

There has not been nor will there ever be an international investigation either by the International Red Cross or the United Nations since Russia will not allow it.

Russia asserted that it was conducting its own investigation. A Russian truth-finding investigation is an oxymoron.

Russia accused Ukraine of downing the Il-76, alleging that the transport carried 65 Ukrainian POW’s for a swap at the border.

To date, almost two weeks after the event only the bodies of 5 crew members have been unearthed in the rubble.

Ukraine has asked for the bodies of the POW’s for burial. To date Russia has not produced them.

What would have been the motive of the Ukrainian side in killing their own prisoners of war. None!

The only possible answer would be that there was a mistake on the Ukrainian side.

There does exist the probability that Ukraine was unaware of the Ukrainian POW’s on board. Ukraine has stressed that it was not informed of the POW transport. The Russians in their best defence asserted that notice was given 15 minutes in advance. Questions persist to whom was notice provided and whether 15 minutes notice is reasonable.

Russia would be highly motivated to kill Ukrainian soldiers by simply not informing Ukraine of the POW transport and then blaming Ukraine which would result in internal discord within the population of Ukraine.

While by Russian accounts some eight Russians lost their lives, that would be deemed very minor collateral damage for the Russians as according to Russian culture, manifested many times, people are treated as cannon fodder.

And so, in all probability, the truth will never be known.

In another story, Vladimir Putin is planning a visit to Turkey at the invitation of President Erdogan.

Why is that of any interest? Turkey is a signatory of the Rome Treaty which formed the International Criminal Court. Granted the Turkish Parliament has not ratified the Treaty but the Parliament of Turkey means relatively little in the Erdogan authoritarian regime.

The ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest of Vladimir Putin. Will this become a test for the relevance of international law and its structures?

Ukraine’s Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba recently met with his counterpart from Hungary. Kuleba came way saying that Prime Minister Viktor Orban was not pro-Russian, but a Hungarian patriot. Kuleba is the quintessential diplomat often at the expense of his own country.

In any event pressured by the EU – not only withholding of funds earmarked for Hungary but also a loss of his veto power – Orban caved and the EU allocated 50 billion euros to Ukraine on February 1st, 2024.

Nevertheless, questions remain as to the ability of Hungary and its Prime Minister Viktor Orban to hold both Ukraine and the EU hostage for a month and one half. Ukraine certainly suffered significant casualties as a result.

Hungary is a small country with a small population and a corrupt and authoritarian regime. It is currently under significant sanctions by the EU for its transgressions.

It offers the EU or NATO very little. It is one tiny speck, even less than a proportionate part of the 27 countries that comprise the EU. Its benefits for the EU, much like its power in NATO, is a aberration.

Pope Francis – no friend to Ukraine, it appears.

Finally, despite Ukrainian Catholic insistence, the Pope of Rome is not a dear friend of the Ukrainian people, although Ukrainian Catholics do pray for him at least four times at each Mass.

He traveled to Mongolia in 2019.

There are 1300 Catholics in Mongolia.

Pope Francis named a Cardinal for the Mongolian Catholics, albeit an Italian one.

There are some 5 million Ukrainian Catholics, in fact the largest Eastern Catholic Church. There is no Ukrainian Catholic Cardinal. (Granted, Ukrainian Catholics would want one of their own nationality.)

Ukraine is mentioned twice but merely as a venue.

The Pope in his previous life as an Argentinian cleric was a good friend of the current Ukrainian Catholic primate Archbishop Swiatoslaw. Swiatoslaw is not a Cardinal.

Russia’s ban on the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ukraine’s occupied territories has not been condemned or even addressed by the Pope. He could have interceded with his diplomatic counterparts Vladimir and Kirill.

Perhaps Ukrainian Catholics should pray for the Pope more often.

He certainly needs their prayers to approach simple humanity, let alone spiritual leadership.

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Read also: 2024? Predictions or wishes either way! by Askold S. Lozynskyj

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Click here for more op-eds by Askold S. Lozynskyj at EU Today