Local news sources reported that a cargo plane belonging to the Russian defence ministry, carrying 15 individuals, met with an accident in the Ivanovo area, to the northeast of Moscow, on Tuesday. The mishap occurred soon after the plane, an Ilyushin Il-76, departed from a western Russian airfield.
The Russian defence minister indicated that a fire in the engine at the time of ascent is the probable reason for the crash.
Military plane which crashed northeast of Moscow was carrying 15 people, no survivors pic.twitter.com/e34aeHkZu1
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 12, 2024
It is reported that the aircraft had eight crew members and seven passengers on board. Russian online news outlets have stated, as reported by Reuters, that there were no survivors.
BREAKING: Large Russian military plane crashes near Ivanovo, northeast of Moscow pic.twitter.com/di4pnpJxKh
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 12, 2024
A video released by the Moscow Times captured the aircraft ablaze shortly before its descent. Additionally, another video circulated on X (previously known as Twitter) depicts the aircraft descending with one engine engulfed in flames, followed by a visible trail of dark smoke as it impacted the ground.
In January, an analogous incident occurred when a Russian IL-76 military transport plane met with a tragic fate in the Belgorod region, close to the border with Ukraine, resulting in the loss of all 65 individuals on board.
Following the crash, Russian authorities leveled accusations against Ukraine, asserting that the aircraft was downed by Ukrainian forces. It was further claimed that the plane was transporting 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, en route to a scheduled exchange of captives.
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