A Russian military plane has crashed in the occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, killing 29 people on board, according to the Russian defense ministry.
The wreckage of the An-26 aircraft was discovered after it lost contact during a routine flight. The ministry linked the crash to a technical failure, ruling out external factors such as missiles or drones.
The aircraft was carrying seven crew members and 23 passengers when it went down over Crimea, a region illicitly annexed by Russia since 2014. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the flight safety violation.
Reports indicate that contact with the plane was lost around 18:00 local time, and the wreckage was located following search and rescue operations. Ukraine has yet to respond publicly to the incident.
The An-26, a Soviet-era aircraft designed primarily for military use, is typically utilized for short-to-medium distance flights to transport heavy cargo and passengers. These planes have been operational since the late 1960s and have been involved in several fatal accidents.
The geopolitical landscape in Crimea remains tense, with ongoing conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia since the latter's full-scale invasion four years ago. Ukrainian attacks have primarily targeted Russian military installations within the region, with calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for Russia to withdraw from Crimea as part of a ceasefire agreement.
For context, numerous aviation incidents involving An-26 aircraft have occurred, including a Ukrainian crash in Kharkiv in 2020 that resulted in 26 fatalities, showcasing the ongoing dangers associated with military aviation in the region.
