Military Plane Crash Claims All Lives Onboard During Prisoner Exchange

A military plane carrying 63 captured Ukrainian soldiers has crashed and exploded over a Russian city, killing everyone on board.

The Il-76 transport plane was flying from Donetsk, Ukraine to Belgorod, Russia for a prisoner exchange, as reported by Russian state media.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at around 11:00 am Moscow time, near the village of Korochansky in the Belgorod region, just 40 km north of the Ukrainian border.

A video shared on Telegram shows a plane crashing and bursting into flames as screams can be heard in the background.

TThe Ministry of Defence has confirmed that all 65 people on board the plane, including six crew members and three escorts, have perished.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and said that the authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

He wrote on Telegram: “A transport plane crashed in the Korochansky district. It fell in a field near the village. All those on board were killed.”

The crash came an hour after Russian authorities issued an incoming missile alert, raising speculation that the plane may have been shot down by Ukrainian forces.

However, no official confirmation or denial of this theory has been made by either side.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatist rebels in the Donbass region.

Despite several ceasefire agreements, the fighting has continued, with frequent clashes and casualties.

The prisoner exchange was part of a peace initiative brokered by France and Germany, aimed at easing tensions and resolving the crisis.

The plane crash is likely to derail the diplomatic efforts and escalate the violence in the region.

Sola Adeniji

News Reporter, Freelancer, and content creator

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