A breakthrough regarding the Smolensk disaster. Prosecutors bring 63 new charges
The Polish National Prosecutor’s Office has brought charges of falsifying autopsy documentation against 41 Russian medics and geneticists who participated in the examination and identification of 60 victims of the Smolensk disaster.
Prosecutors from the Polish Investigation Team No. 1 accuse these specialists of falsifying medical records, committing a total of 63 crimes, which include confirming falsehoods in medical protocols and obstructing the proceedings. According to Polish prosecutors, the documents sent by the Russian side contained numerous errors and descriptions of non-existent injuries, which significantly hampered the Polish investigation.
Expert opinions and controversies related to exhumations
Until 2016, the investigation into the Smolensk disaster was conducted by the military prosecutor’s office. However, when Zbigniew Ziobro took over as Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General, he closed down all military prosecutor’s offices. He handed over the investigation into the Smolensk disaster to the designated Investigation Team No. 1, whose task was to resume work and conduct a detailed analysis of the causes of the disaster.
As part of these activities, the exhumation of the victims’ bodies was ordered, which sparked strong emotions and social protests. Ultimately, it was decided to exhume 83 of the 96 victims. According to the National Prosecutor’s Office, this was necessary due to numerous errors and ambiguities in the medical documentation provided by the Russian side.
Polish research revealed that the documents sent from Russia contained many inaccuracies and omissions of injuries important to the investigation. Experts from Russia were also supposed to describe procedures that – according to Polish prosecutors – never took place. In total, the Polish prosecutor’s office charged 41 people from Russia with committing 63 crimes of stating untruths and obstructing the investigation.
Russian blockades and Polish requests
The problem that has hindered the Polish investigation for years is the lack of cooperation from Russia. Poland has repeatedly submitted requests for the hearing of Russian specialists and for the return of the plane wreckage, which remains in Russia as evidence in the local investigation.
However, Russian authorities systematically ignore these requests. In 2017, Poland issued arrest warrants for three Russian flight controllers who, according to Investigation Team No. 1, intentionally caused the crash by providing incorrect information to the Polish crew. However, Russia refused to initiate proceedings against its citizens who were serving as Russian army officers on the day of the disaster.
Formal charges and next steps
According to Polish law, from the moment the prosecutor’s office issues the decision to present charges, Russian medics and geneticists are formally recognized as suspects. The next stage is to announce the charges against them and interrogate them as suspects. Poland demands that Russia implement these steps, but current experience shows that this will be unlikely.
The position of Polish investigators
The prosecutor’s office emphasizes that every decision made as part of the investigation, including exhumations, was necessary to obtain reliable results.
Polish investigators are trying to answer the key question whether the injuries suffered by the victims were the result of hitting the ground or could have resulted from the explosion of explosives on board. Although official reports, such as the MAK report from 2011, attribute the blame to the pilot and poor airport preparation, part of the public opinion in Poland believes that the disaster could have been the result of an attack.
