Russian military plane crash in Crimea kills 29 people

A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed in annexed Crimea on Tuesday, killing all 29 people on board, including six crew members and 23 passengers. The plane was on a scheduled flight when it lost contact and crashed into a cliff in the Bakhchisarai district. Russian investigators have launched a criminal probe into potential flight regulation violations. The Interfax news agency cited the Defense Ministry as saying a suspected technical malfunction may have caused the crash and that there was no "damaging interference" with the aircraft. Accidents involving Russian military planes have increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

A Russian military An-26 plane crashed in occupied Crimea on Tuesday, killing all 29 people on board, including seven crew members and 23 passengers. The Russian defence ministry stated the plane lost contact during a "routine flight" and attributed the crash to a "technical failure," ruling out external damage. The wreckage was found after a search and rescue effort. Russia's Investigative Committee has launched an inquiry into flight safety violations. The An-26 is a Soviet-era aircraft manufactured by a Ukrainian company and used for military transport. Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces has been ongoing in Crimea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed into a cliff in Crimea on Tuesday, killing all 29 people on board. The crash occurred during a planned flight over the peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Communication with the aircraft was lost around 6 pm local time. Russia's defense ministry reported the crash and stated that a search team located the site. Preliminary findings suggest a technical malfunction as the cause of the crash, with no indication of external impact. A military commission is investigating the incident.