17 June 2004 17:23
Relatives of Russian air crash victims hold out for higher compensation
[Presenter] Some of the relatives of those killed when a Russian Tu-154 aircraft was shot down by a Ukrainian missile
in October 2001 intend to refuse compensation from Ukraine. They are demanding that Kiev admit full responsibility for
what happened. Ukraine has never officially admitted responsibility for the accident over the Black Sea. Relatives of
those killed are insisting that legal proceedings continue.
[Correspondent Svetlana Kishkina] The Sibir airlines Tu-154 aircraft that was flying from Tel Aviv to Novosibirsk was
shot down by Ukrainian air defence forces over the Black Sea on 4 October 2001. Seventy-eight people died in the
accident: all the passengers and crew members.
Ukraine has not admitted its guilt over what happened, but after almost two years of talks Kiev agreed to pay
compensation of 20,000 dollars [ITAR-TASS at 1251 gmt on 16 June reported the figure as 200,000 dollars] for each person
killed in the catastrophe. The document states that the money will only be transferred to the bank accounts of
victims' relatives when they have signed a statement confirming that they no longer have any claims against
Ukraine.
Boris Kalinovskiy, the president of the foundation for helping the relatives, says that some of the relatives were
forced to agree to compensation due to their difficult financial circumstances. They have to raise their children.
However, other relatives are not happy with the arrangement under which the Ukrainian payments will be of a humanitarian
nature and Ukraine will not accept responsibility for what happened.
Experts say that by insisting on a continuation of legal proceedings against Ukraine, the relatives may be able to
win the case and obtain compensation payments several times higher than the proposed 20,000 [as received] dollars.
[Radio Mayak] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
