Russia said on Wednesday (Jan 24) that an IL-76 military transport plane crashed in the western Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, killing all 74 on board. Russian authorities said that the aircraft was carrying at least 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members and three guards.
“Everyone on board died,” the Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on social media.
Gladkov earlier said on Telegram that the crash occurred in the Korochansky district, northeast of the region’s capital.
“Now an investigation team and emergency services are working on the site. I have changed my working schedule and travelled to the district,” Gladkov added.
The RIA-Novosti news agency quoted the defence ministry as saying, “On board were 65 captured Ukrainian army servicemen being transported to the Belgorod region for exchange, six crew members and three escorts.”
It added, “At around 11 am Moscow time (0800 GMT), an IL-76 aircraft crashed in the Belgorod region during a routine flight.”
Russia blames Ukraine
Russian defence ministry accused Kyiv of shooting down the plane as a spokesman said that plane was shot down while “flying from the Chkalovsky airfield to Belgorod in order to transport Ukrainian servicemen for an exchange”.
Andrei Kartapolov, who is a retired general and a lawmaker in Russia’s parliament, also claimed during a parliamentary session that the plane had been shot down by three missiles. He did not provide any details or evidence to support his claims.
What do we know about the aircraft?
The Il-76 is a military transport aircraft designed to airlift troops, cargo, military equipment and weapons. It has a normal crew of five people, and can carry up to 90 passengers.
Telegram messenger app Baza, a channel said to be linked to Russian security services, posted a video, which showed a large aircraft falling towards the ground and exploding in a vast fireball.
Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.
🚨 💥 BREAKING: Ukrainian Armed Forces sources confirm the shooting down of a Russian IL-76 military plane transporting S-300 missiles over Belgorod region in Russia.
The rumor of Ukrainian POWs being on board the plane is FALSE. pic.twitter.com/2GtszJYI8v
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) January 24, 2024
Ukraine on the crash
Ukraine’s intelligence agency said that it had no “reliable information” on who was on board a downed Russian military plane.
“A prisoner exchange was supposed to take place today, but it did not take place. According to the Russian side, this was due to the downing of a Russian Il-76 aircraft, which was allegedly transporting our prisoners. We currently do not have reliable or comprehensive information on who was on board the plane or in what number,” Ukraine’s main intelligence directorate said in a statement.
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
(With inputs from agencies)
