A Russian military plane crashed in Crimea, a territory annexed from Ukraine, resulting in 29 deaths. The cause is believed to be a technical malfunction, as there were no signs of an attack.
The Russian Defense Ministry revealed that the military’s An-26 aircraft crashed on the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine. The wreckage was found on Tuesday (31 Mar 2026) after losing contact with officials during a “routine mission flight,” leading to the deaths of all 29 people on board.
Russian authorities stated the cause was a “technical malfunction” and reported no external damage to the aircraft, implying that the incident was not due to missiles, drones, or bird strikes.
The plane carried 7 crew members and 23 passengers while flying over the Crimean Peninsula, formerly part of Ukraine. The fate of one individual on board has not yet been disclosed.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the plane crash and announced it has begun an investigation into potential aviation safety violations.
The An-26 is a Soviet-era aircraft primarily used for military missions, transporting heavy cargo and a limited number of passengers over short to medium distances. It was manufactured by Ukraine’s Antonov aviation company.
This model has been in use since the late 1960s and has experienced several serious accidents. For example, in 2020, a Ukrainian An-26 crashed near Kharkiv, killing 26 people, mostly military cadets.
In 2021, an An-26 crashed in Russia's Far East, killing 28, and in 2022, another crashed in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, resulting in one death.
Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Crimea continues since Russia’s full-scale invasion began four years ago. Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts, while Ukraine has retaliated by striking Russian oil refineries.
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Source:bbc