Russian military plane crash kills 29 in Crimea

The An-26 is a Soviet-era aircraft designed primarily for military use (file photo)

A Russian military transport aircraft has crashed in occupied Crimea, killing all 29 people on board, according to the BBC, citing Russia’s defence ministry.

The Soviet era Antonov An-26 went down during what officials described as a routine flight over the peninsula on Tuesday. Contact with the aircraft was lost at about 18:00 local time, before wreckage was later discovered following a search operation.

Russia’s defence ministry said a technical failure was the likely cause of the crash, adding that there was no sign of external damage. The statement suggested that missiles, drones or bird strikes were not believed to have been involved.

Seven crew members and 23 passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
Russia’s Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed the crash and said it had opened an inquiry into a possible violation of flight safety rules.

There has been no immediate comment from Ukraine.

Crimea, which lies along Ukraine’s southern coast, was annexed by Russia in 2014, a move widely rejected by the international community. The peninsula has since remained a strategic flashpoint, particularly following Moscow’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.

While Ukrainian strikes in recent months have targeted Russian military positions in Crimea, there was no indication that the latest crash was linked to the conflict.

The An-26 aircraft, originally built by Ukraine’s Antonov, has been in service since the late 1960s and is commonly used for military transport.

It has also been involved in several fatal incidents over the years. In 2020, a Ukrainian An-26 crashed near Kharkiv, killing 26 people, most of them cadets. Other crashes in Russia and Ukraine in subsequent years have also resulted in casualties, underscoring the aircraft’s long but troubled operational history.

Faith Omoboye

Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.