Russian IL-76 Plane Crashes

A Russian Defense Ministry plane, transporting 65 Ukrainian prisoners along with nine crew members and guards, has crashed Ukraine

Sharon Petersen

By Sharon Petersen Wed Jan 24, 2024

A Russian Defense Ministry plane, transporting 65 Ukrainian military prisoners along with nine crew members and guards, has crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukraine border.

Moscow's Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday through Telegram that the IL-76 aircraft went down during the planned exchange of prisoners with Ukraine. The Telegram message apparently showed a large aircraft falling towards the ground and exploding in a vast fireball.

Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that an unspecified “incident” had occurred in the region’s Korochansky district, northeast of Belgorod city, and that he was going to inspect the site. Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, has come under frequent attack from Ukraine in recent months, including a December missile strike which killed 25 people.

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