Prisoners-Laden Russian Military Plane Crashes in Belgorod Region
Russia’s Ministry of Defence has announced that a military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members, and three additional individuals crashed in Russia’s Belgorod region near Ukraine on Wednesday morning.
The cause of the crash, which occurred around 11 a.m., remains unclear, and it is uncertain if any survivors emerged from the incident.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Russian Defence Ministry stated that an investigation into the crash is underway, with a special military commission en route to the crash site.
Earlier on the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that a significant Russian missile attack, apparently designed to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses, resulted in 18 fatalities and 130 injuries.
The assault, which employed over 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft, and guided missiles, targeted 130 residential buildings in three Ukrainian cities.
This incident coincides with Ukraine marking the 700th day since the full-scale invasion by Russian forces began. President Zelenskyy emphasized the need to strengthen air defense as a top priority to protect cities, towns, and frontline positions.
As the conflict persists, Russia’s recent heavy onslaught, including strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv, underscores Zelenskyy’s pleas for increased military aid from Western allies.
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The war, characterized by a static front line and efforts to replenish weapons stockpiles amid icy weather, has shifted focus to long-range strikes.
Analysts suggest that Russia may have employed decoy missiles in the recent attack to exploit vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defenses.
The Institute for the Study of War in Washington noted that Moscow might be seeking additional ballistic missiles from foreign sources, including Iran and North Korea.
