Ukraine shoots down Russian Il-76 with 65 Ukrainian captive soldiers on board

An Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft crashed in the Belgorod region of Russia.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed earlier reports about the crash.

The airplane crashed during a scheduled flight, the military department noted.

On January 24, it was reported that an Iluishin Il-76 crashed in the Belgorod region. Photos from the site of the possible plane crash later appeared on Telegram channels.

Some time alter, Ukrainian representatives said that it was the Armed Forces of Ukraine that destroyed the Il-76 military aircraft in the Belgorod region. Ukraine shot down the aircraft by launching a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system at the plane.

A photo then appeared presumably showing a contrail from an anti-aircraft missile explosion in the sky over the Russian region. The shot down Il-76 was constantly used to transport prisoners of war, so the aircraft was flying freely using a closed airport.

The Ministry of Defence later announced that there were 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers and six Russian crew members on board the Il-76 — the soldiers were being transported for exchange. 

The military cordoned off the crash site.