Recently, the focus of international attention has once again focused on the tense situation between Russia and Ukraine. A request from Ukraine has put Moscow in an embarrassing position: they are demanding that Russia hand over the remains of Ukrainian prisoners of war killed in a plane crash in Belgorod Oblast. This request not only reveals a crisis of confidence between Russia and Ukraine, but is also likely to make Putin** face unprecedented challenges. 
The cause of the incident dates back not so long ago, when a Russian Il-76 transport plane accidentally crashed over Belgorod Oblast. The Russian side initially claimed that the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war in addition to the crew, and that the purpose of the flight was to carry out a prisoner exchange. However, this statement was strongly denied by the Ukrainian side. Kyiv insisted that it had not received any notification about the flight and suspected that the plane was actually loaded with Russian military equipment. As the investigation deepens, the truth of the incident seems to become more confusing. Yusov, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, said in an interview that regardless of whether these Ukrainian soldiers were killed or not, Kyiv treats them as captured and insists that the Russian side return their bodies. This statement undoubtedly put tremendous pressure on Moscow. If Russia is indeed lying, then exposing this lie will cause serious damage to its international reputation. More importantly, this will expose a major flaw in the air defense capabilities of the Russian army, which will have a devastating blow to the morale of soldiers on the front line. However, even if Russia is not lying, they will not be able to quickly meet Ukraine's demands. Because the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, there are multiple complex international factors involved, including the possible role of the United States in the incident. 
Some analysts believe that Russia may use this incident as a bargaining chip to play games with Western countries on the international stage, trying to delay or prevent their military assistance to Ukraine. Western countries, on the other hand, are worried that Ukraine may be misused when using the best equipment provided by the West, which will lead to greater international disputes. This concern is confirmed to a certain extent by the facts, as traces of the theft of Ukraine have been found from Europe to the Middle East and even as far away as Mexico. Against this background, the West seems to have consciously or unconsciously concealed certain truths in order to avoid public doubts about the legitimacy of military assistance to Ukraine. However, no matter how the truth is covered up or distorted, the tension between Russia and Ukraine has become an issue that the international community cannot ignore. 
Overall, this incident is not only a severe test of the integrity and international responsibility of Russia and Ukraine, but also has a profound impact on the entire international order and regional stability. And how Putin responds to this challenge will become the focus of close attention of the international community.