A Russian An-26 military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea on Tuesday, killing all 23 passengers and six crew members on board.
Russian Ministry of Defense Confirms Crash
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the crash of a military transport aircraft, an An-26, which lost contact on Tuesday, March 31st, around 6:00 PM Moscow time (4:00 PM Poland time). The aircraft was reportedly on a scheduled flight over Crimea.
Investigation Underway, Possible Technical Failure
Russian authorities stated that search and rescue teams located the crash site Wednesday night, and initial reports indicated no impact to the aircraft. However, sources from TASS and RIA Novosti reported the plane “hit a mountain.”
Russian services suggest technical issues were likely the cause of the crash, and a commission from the Russian Ministry of Defense is investigating.
Report of Separate Russian Bomber Crash
According to Ukrainian Pravda, citing blogger Fighterbomber, a Russian Su-34 bomber also crashed in Crimea prior to the An-26 incident. This information has not been officially confirmed by Ukrainian or Russian sources.
Intense Fighting and Russian Losses in Ukraine
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 171 combat engagements in the last 24 hours, with Ukrainian forces repelling Russian attacks along multiple sections of the front line.
Russian Air and Drone Attacks
Russia conducted 77 air strikes, dropping 226 guided bombs, and utilized over 9,600 kamikaze drones, along with 3804 artillery bombardments. The most intense fighting occurred near Pokrovsk, Konstantynivka, and Hulaypil, where numerous Russian attacks were repelled.
Ukrainian Claims of Russian Casualties
Ukraine claims Russia suffered 1060 soldier casualties in the past 24 hours, along with the loss of two tanks, three armored combat vehicles, 59 artillery systems, three multiple launch rocket systems, 2069 unmanned aerial vehicles, 219 vehicles, and two specialized units.