Russia reported that an IL-76 military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukraine border. This was announced by the Russian defense ministry, as reported by the RIA-Novosti news agency.
Details and Response to the Crash
The plane was transporting the Ukrainian POWs to Belgorod for an exchange. Six crew members and three escorts were on board along with the prisoners. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the local governor, mentioned an unspecified “incident” in the Korochansky district of Belgorod and is set to inspect the crash site.
The Il-76, a military aircraft designed for transporting troops and equipment, usually has five crew and can carry up to 90 passengers. Responding to a reporter’s query, the Kremlin said it was investigating the situation. This region has experienced several attacks from Ukraine in recent months, including a missile strike in December that resulted in 25 fatalities.
