A Russian military transport plane carrying 74 people, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, crashed near the border with Ukraine on Wednesday, leaving no survivors. The cause of the crash is still unknown, but it has sparked tensions between Russia and Ukraine, who have been at odds over the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.
The plane, an Ilyushin Il-76, was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were being released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the two countries. The remaining passengers included Russian military personnel and crew. The crash occurred in the Belgorod region of Russia, near the border with Ukraine.
According to Russian authorities, the plane took off from an airbase in the region and was headed to the border when it crashed at around 11am local time. The crash site is located in a residential area, and there were reports of several buildings catching fire as a result of the crash.
The Ukrainian government has condemned the crash, calling it a “terrorist act” and accusing Russia of deliberately targeting the prisoners of war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted that he was “shocked and outraged” by the crash, and called for an immediate investigation into the incident.
Russian authorities have denied any involvement in the crash and have launched their own investigation. The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that the cause of the crash is still unknown, but they are considering several theories, including a technical malfunction and a possible attack by Ukrainian forces.
The crash has sparked tensions between Russia and Ukraine, who have been at odds over the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The conflict began in 2014, when Russian-backed separatists launched an insurrection against the Ukrainian government. Since then, the conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people.
The prisoner exchange agreement, which was brokered by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), was seen as a positive step towards resolving the conflict. However, the crash has raised concerns about the safety of the prisoners and the possibility of further violence.
The international community has also condemned the crash, with the United States and the European Union calling for an immediate investigation into the incident. The United Nations has also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and urged both sides to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
