A Russian military transport plane carrying 63 people today nosedived towards a town before crashing and exploding on impact in the region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine.
Video shows the Ilyushin Il-76 plunging from the sky and smashing into the ground in front of horrified locals in the Korochansky district this morning.
On impact, the 164ft plane explodes into a huge fireball that engulfs the 72-tonne jet in flames.
Russia claimed the military plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war at the time of the crash, without providing any evidence.
Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that an unspecified ‘incident’ had occurred in the region’s Korochansky district, northeast of Belgorod city, and that he was going to inspect the site.
A Russian military transport plane carrying 63 people today nosedived and crashed in the region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine
Video shows the Ilyushin Il-76 plunging from the sky and smashing into the ground in front of horrified locals in the Korochansky district this morning
As the 164ft plane crashes, the impact sparks a huge fireball that engulfs the 72-tonne jet in flames
‘Currently, an investigation team and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are working on the spot,’ he said.
‘I have changed my work schedule and gone to the area. All details later.’
Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, has come under frequent attack from Ukraine in recent months, including a December missile strike which killed 25 people.
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