The IL-76 military aircraft was transporting 65 captured service members for further exchange, the Defense Ministry has said
FILE PHOTO: IL-76 military transport aircraft. © Sputnik / Mikhail Voskresensky
A Russian heavy transport plane carrying several dozen Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) has crashed in Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, Moscow has confirmed. Earlier, media reports suggested that all passengers and crew members on board were killed.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that an IL-76 cargo aircraft carrying 65 captured Ukrainian service members as well as six crew members and three people accompanying the POWs went down during a pre-planned flight at around 11am local time. It added that the prisoners were being transported to Belgorod region for an exchange.
Defense officials also noted that Moscow has dispatched a commission to establish the cause of the incident.
Telegram channel 112, citing a source, had earlier reported that the crash took place near the village of Yablonovo, about 90 km from the border. The channel at the time said that there were no survivors.
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