Russian Military Plane Crashes in Crimea, Killing All 29 Onboard

Crimea. All 29 people, including the crew, have died after a Russian military aircraft crashed in the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. The incident has raised serious questions regarding military flight safety, with technical failure initially suspected as the cause of the crash.

Citing the Russian Defense Ministry, state news agencies reported that the An-26 military transport plane was carrying six crew members and 23 passengers. All of them lost their lives in the accident. The military lost contact with the aircraft around 6 PM on Tuesday while it was on a routine flight.

The aircraft was flying along a designated route over the Crimean Peninsula. Russia annexed this region from Ukraine in 2014, a move considered illegal by the international community. Although rescue teams were deployed following the crash, it was confirmed that everyone died at the scene.

According to the Interfax news agency, the Defense Ministry stated that preliminary investigations suggest the crash was caused by a technical malfunction. The ministry also noted that it is believed there was no external attack or interference involved.

Citing sources at the crash site, state-run TASS and RIA Novosti reported that the plane crashed into a rocky area, which reportedly exacerbated the severity of the damage.

The An-26 is a Soviet-era designed military transport turboprop aircraft, which has been used for various military and logistical purposes.