An IL-76 crashed in the Belgorod region. What is known
24 January 2024 14:16
A Russian IL-76 military aircraft has crashed in the Belgorod region of Russia. The video of the crash and explosion appeared this afternoon on the Russian segment of the network, and the information was promptly confirmed by the Russian authorities.
The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the information about the crash within half an hour of the video’s release. It also stated that the downed plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were being transported for an exchange. The Russians claim that the plane was shot down by an American Patriot or IRIS T system.
At the same time, some Ukrainian media outlets, citing their own sources, reported that the plane was not carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, but missiles for S-300 systems.
“Ukrayinska Pravda published a news item in which, citing its own sources, it reported that “this is the work of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”. However, after a while, the website stopped working, and then the news appeared to be edited. The outlet noted that another source had not confirmed the information about the Armed Forces.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing its own source close to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, reported that the plane was shot down on take-off.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has not yet commented on the information.
