Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft crashes in Belgorod

In the Russian border region of Belgorod, sixty-five Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed when a Russian heavy-lift military transport aircraft, the IL-76, crashed. The transport of the POWs was part of a swap exchange. According to Russia, there were no survivors in the jet crash.

The IL-76 was out of the pilot’s control when it crashed close to a residential area, as seen in a distant video of the incident that showed the aircraft rapidly losing altitude and heading straight towards the ground. The aircraft burst into flames and crashed on its right wing.

“An IL-76 aircraft crashed in the Belgorod region during a routine flight at around 11 am Moscow time (0800 GMT),” the Moscow defense ministry was quoted.

Six crew members, thirty Russian military personnel, and sixty-five Ukrainian military personnel for the exchange were on board the aircraft. The statement said that all of the plane’s residents, including the crew, killed.

It also said that Russian radar systems “observed the launch of two Ukrainian missiles.” The Ukrainian government “knew very well that, according to established practice,” a military transport plane would be travelling that route prior to the scheduled prisoner swap, according to the Defence Ministry.

As reported on Telegram by regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, the crash happened in the Korochansky district, northeast of the region’s capital. “An investigation team is currently at the scene assisting with emergency services. Gladkov remarked, “I have come to the district and adjusted my work schedule.

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