Russia
According to Russian sources, a Russian military transport plane carrying more than 70 people crashed on Wednesday over the Belgorod region, on the border with Ukraine. Russian news agencies TASS and RIA reported that there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the Ilyushin Il-76 machine. According to Russian information, all passengers on board died.
01/24/2024 10:43
Online since today, 10:43 am (Update: 12:14 pm)
This was announced by the governor of Belgorod. According to TASS, in addition to the 65 prisoners, there were nine Russian crew members on board. RIA reported six crew members and three other people. The cause of the accident is not yet known. The prisoners were flown for a planned exchange, he said. The Defense Ministry said a special military commission was on its way to the crash site. Information cannot currently be independently verified.
Unverified videos on online services showed a large plane, reportedly in the Belgorod region, falling from the sky and then hitting the ground in a fireball. Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on the Telegram online service that the accident occurred in the Korochansky district. Investigators and rescue services are at the scene and he himself will also travel to the crash site, Gladkow explained.
State Duma deputy Andrei Kartapolov stated that the plane was shot down by three missiles. He did not cite a source. The Belgorod region borders with Ukraine. In recent months, it has been repeatedly criticized by neighboring countries. A missile attack in December killed 25 people.
Ukrainian media: anti-aircraft missiles on board
In Kiev, the Ukrayinska Pravda news portal reported, citing military sources, that the Ukrainian side confirmed the accident. According to information from the General Staff, the aircraft was supposed to carry S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to the front.
Ukraijinska Pravda had also originally reported that the Ukrainian military had spoken about shooting down the plane. This version was then changed. Ukraine has been defending itself from a war of Russian aggression for almost two years – this Wednesday marks the 700th day of war.