Russian Il-76 plane carrying Prisoners of Russia Ukraine War crashed

On January 24th, a significant event unfolded in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast when a Russian Il-76 transport aircraft crashed around 11 a.m. local time. The news was reported by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, citing the country’s Defense Ministry. Notably, the Ukrainian news source Ukrainska Pravda, relying on its sources within the Ukrainian military, asserted that the crashed plane was transporting S-300 missiles. However, it’s crucial to mention that this information was later retracted by Ukrainska Pravda, which initially claimed that Ukrainian forces had downed the aircraft.

The Russian Defense Ministry presented a different narrative, asserting that the plane was carrying 65 captured Ukrainian military personnel destined for a prisoner exchange, along with six crew members and three other individuals. The Kyiv Independent attempted to verify these claims but faced challenges in doing so. The Ukrainian military did not immediately respond to requests for comments from the Kyiv Independent, and Ukraine’s Air Force had not issued an official statement regarding the incident at the time.

According to Suspilne, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry indicated that it could not confirm whether the plane was indeed hit by Ukrainian forces, emphasizing that the information was still being clarified. Meanwhile, local Telegram channels featured videos capturing the apparent crash of the plane in the Korochanskyi district. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned the incident on his Telegram channel, promising additional details later.

The Ilyushin Il-76, the type of aircraft involved in the crash, is a heavy transport plane designed for carrying military cargo and troops over extended distances. Notably, it can operate from airports lacking loading devices or unpaved runways, making it suitable for various scenarios, including transporting humanitarian aid to areas affected by natural disasters.

It’s worth noting that Russia has employed Il-76 aircraft for strategic purposes, such as delivering S-300 missiles to Belarus, as reported by the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun. These planes have been known to carry over 100 paratroopers in a single mission. Russia has faced losses of Il-76 aircraft in previous conflicts, with reports suggesting their destruction in locations like the Saky airfield in Crimea in August 2022. Ukraine neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in that incident.

This latest crash adds to a series of recent air power losses for Russia. In the past month, the Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for downing a Russian Beriev A-50 military observation plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 plane, which serves as an airborne command post. Additionally, Ukrainian forces reported shooting down at least five Su-24M planes in December.