A Russian military plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners crashed and exploded near the border with Ukraine on Wednesday, killing everyone on board.
The plane, an IL-76 transport aircraft, was on its way to the Belgorod region for a prisoner exchange, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The ministry confirmed the death toll of 65 people, including five crew members and 60 Ukrainian captives.
The crash occurred in a region that has been the target of frequent attacks from Ukraine, which is locked in a conflict with Russia-backed separatists. In December, a missile strike from Ukraine killed 25 people in the same area.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but some witnesses reported seeing a fireball in the sky before the plane went down near the village of Yablunovo. Videos posted on social media showed a large plume of smoke rising from the crash site.
A special military commission has been dispatched to investigate the incident and recover the bodies of the victims. The regional governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said he was informed of the tragedy but did not provide any more information.
The IL-76 is a four-engine jet that can carry up to 90 passengers or 50 tons of cargo. It is widely used by the Russian military for transporting troops, weapons, and equipment. The plane has a range of about 5,000 kilometers and can operate in harsh weather conditions.