A military transport plane, which Russia claimed was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, crashed on Wednesday in a Russian region near Ukraine.
According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the Belgorod region, where the plane went down, all those on board were killed.
The cause of the crash is not yet known. Gladkov did not provide details about the number or identities of the people on the plane.
The Associated Press was unable to verify the passengers on the plane, and Ukrainian officials advised against spreading unverified information.
According to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, the Ministry reported that the prisoners of war (POWs) were being transported to the border region for a prisoner exchange.
Videos shared on social media showed a plane crashing in a snowy, rural area and causing a large explosion upon impact.
Firefighters, ambulances, and police quickly responded to the crash site in the Korochansky district of Belgorod, as reported by the state news agency Tass, citing a local emergency services official.
Two high-ranking Russian lawmakers claimed, without evidence, that the plane was shot down by Ukrainian forces.
Just before the crash, Belgorod’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, issued a warning on his Telegram channel about a “missile alert” in the region and advised residents to seek shelter.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War in Ukraine is currently investigating the crash. However, they have not yet released any details and have advised against spreading unverified information.
“We emphasize that the enemy is actively conducting information special operations against Ukraine aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
