A Russian military transport aircraft crashed in annexed Crimea on Wednesday, killing all 29 crew members and passengers on board, authorities said, with early reports pointing to a suspected technical malfunction.
The Antonov An-26 aircraft was on a scheduled flight when it lost contact with air traffic control shortly before going down in a rugged, forested area of the Bakhchisarai district.
Emergency responders were immediately dispatched to the scene, but difficult terrain has slowed access and complicated recovery operations.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said preliminary assessments suggest the crash was not caused by external interference, with a technical failure considered the most likely explanation.
The Soviet-designed turboprop aircraft is commonly used for military transport, and authorities are now reviewing maintenance and operational records as part of the investigation.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary reports from state media agencies Tass and RIA Novosti indicate that the aircraft struck a cliff before catching fire on impact.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed that seven crew members and 23 passengers were on board, though it remains unclear if any survivors have been found.
The committee has opened a criminal probe into potential violations of flight safety regulations while investigators work to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the crash.
The incident adds to growing concerns over the safety of Russian military aviation, which has experienced a series of accidents in recent years.
