A big Russian navy transport aircraft crashed on Wednesday within the Belgorod area close to the border with Ukraine, state information businesses stated, citing a press release by the Russian Defense Ministry. Everyone onboard was killed, the regional governor stated.
The Defense Ministry stated that the aircraft had been carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of conflict who had been being transferred to the area to be exchanged for Russian service personnel. The declare couldn’t be independently verified. The aircraft was additionally carrying six crew members and three different people, the ministry stated, in line with Tass, a Russian state information company.
The governor of the Belgorod area, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated in a press release on social media that the aircraft had crashed in a subject close to a settlement within the Korochansky district and that there have been no survivors. He stated that emergency companies had been on the web site and had been investigating.
The Ukrainian navy intelligence company and the Ukrainian Air Force each stated that they might not instantly remark.
Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, declined to touch upon the crash experiences, telling journalists that the knowledge was nonetheless “too fresh.” The Russian Air Force command dispatched a gaggle to the scene of the crash to attempt to decide the trigger, in line with the Defense Ministry assertion.
Baza, a Russian channel on the Telegram app, posted what it stated was a video of the crash, exhibiting a big plane speeding towards the bottom with a subsequent explosion producing an enormous fireball.
The aircraft, an Il-76, was designed a long time in the past within the Soviet Union to carry out navy duties equivalent to airlifting troops, cargo and weapons.
Andrei Kartapolov, a Russian lawmaker, stated at a session of the State Duma, the decrease home of Parliament, that the Il-76 had been shot down by three Ukrainian missiles. He stated that one other aircraft carrying prisoners of conflict had been diverted after the crash. He didn’t present any proof for his declare, and it couldn’t be independently verified. Mr. Kartapolov additionally stated that each one potential trade offers between Russia and Ukraine had been postponed.
The Belgorod area of Russia has an extended border with Ukraine. Over the previous few weeks, it has been the scene of frequent Ukrainian assaults, together with a missile bombardment in December. It was additionally the staging floor for Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and for additional Russian strikes towards Ukrainian territory in the course of the conflict.
Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging prisoners for the reason that begin of the conflict via offers brokered by a third-party, such because the Turkey or the United Arab Emirates. Those offers have been very sophisticated, with the perimeters meticulously negotiating each element.
In early January, after an extended pause in exchanges that adopted the discharge in Turkey of 5 former commanders of Ukraine’s garrison within the Azovstal metal plant, which angered Moscow, Russia and Ukraine carried out the biggest trade of prisoners for the reason that begin of the conflict.
Andrew E. Kramer contributed reporting.
