Russian Military Transport Plane Carrying Ukrainian Prisoners of War Crashes in Belgorod Region
A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday morning as a Russian military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed in the Belgorod region near Ukraine. The Defense Ministry of Russia confirmed the crash and stated that there were six crew members and three other individuals on board the ill-fated flight. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown, and it is uncertain if there are any survivors.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident, and a special military commission has been dispatched to the crash site. According to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, the prisoners of war were being transported to the border region for a potential prisoner exchange. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, refrained from commenting on the crash due to a lack of information.
During a parliamentary session, Andrei Kartapolov, a member of the Russian parliament and retired general, claimed that the plane had been shot down by three missiles. However, he did not disclose the source of this information. The Defense Ministry has not confirmed or denied this claim.
Video footage captured the horrifying moment when the aircraft plummeted towards the ground near the village of Yablonovo in the Belgorod region before erupting into a massive fireball upon impact. The video, which was shared on Telegram, a messaging app, was posted by Baza, a channel associated with Russian security services.
Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported an “incident” in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region and announced his intention to visit the crash site. He mentioned that investigators and emergency workers were already present at the scene. The crashed plane has been identified as an Ilyushin Il-76, a military transport aircraft commonly used for airlifting troops, cargo, military equipment, and weapons.
The Belgorod region, located on the border with Ukraine, has experienced multiple attacks from Ukrainian forces in recent months. In December, a missile strike claimed the lives of 25 individuals in the region. Furthermore, a Ukrainian drone was shot down over Belgorod earlier on the same day as the plane crash, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Fortunately, there were no casualties or damages reported.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in a static front line during the winter season. Both sides have resorted to long-range missile attacks while replenishing their weapons stockpiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently revealed that a major Russian missile attack had killed 18 people and injured 130 individuals. The attack targeted residential buildings in three Ukrainian cities.
As this is a developing story, further updates will be provided. The Associated Press and Reuters have contributed to this report.