An Il-76 military plane crashed in the Belgorod Oblast, a region of Russia neighboring Ukraine. The Ukrainian side reported that it was carrying S-300 missiles, while the Russian authorities claim that there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board. Details of the disaster are unknown.
The Ukrainska Pravda website first reported that sources in the Ukrainian army confirmed that the plane had crashed and said it was “their work.” Later this quote disappeared from the website’s information. Ukrainian Pravda continues to quote sources in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as saying that the plane was transporting S-300 missiles.
In Moscow, the Ministry of Defense maintains that there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war transported for exchange, as well as six crew members and three other people on board the plane.
Ukrainians do not comment
The Ukrainian Air Force has not yet commented on reports of the Il-76 crash, but announced that it would comment later, the Ukrinform news agency reported.
The plane crash was first reported on social media. The Baza channel on Telegram, associated with the Russian security forces, published a video showing the fall and explosion of the machine, Reuters reported. The independent Russian website Meduza reports that the Il-76 crashed about five kilometers from the village of Yablonowo.
Il-76 aircraft are used to transport people and cargo, including military equipment. Typically, the machine has a five-person crew and can carry up to 90 people.
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