Russia accuses Ukraine for crash: On January 24, Russia announced that an IL-76 military transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, resulting in the tragic death of all 74 individuals on board. Among the casualties were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members, and three guards, according to Russian authorities. Belgorod’s regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, confirmed the fatalities and mentioned the crash site’s location in the Korochansky district.
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An investigation team and emergency services are actively working at the crash site, with Gladkov altering his schedule to visit the district. The defense ministry, as reported by RIA-Novosti news agency, stated that the IL-76 aircraft crashed during a routine flight around 11 am Moscow time while transporting captured Ukrainian army servicemen for exchange.
In a notable development
Russia accused Ukraine of shooting down the plane. The defense ministry spokesperson claimed that the aircraft was targeted while en route from Chkalovsky airfield to Belgorod for the purpose of exchanging Ukrainian servicemen. During a parliamentary session, Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general and lawmaker, asserted that the plane was downed by three missiles, though he did not present any supporting details or evidence for these allegations.
