- All 29 people on board a Russian Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft have died following a crash in Crimea on Tuesday evening.
- The Russian Defense Ministry stated there were no signs of “external impact,” suggesting the plane was not shot down.
- Preliminary reports suggest the aircraft may have suffered a technical malfunction or flown into a mountain during a routine flight.
A Russian military transport plane crashed on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, over the Crimean Peninsula, resulting in the deaths of everyone on board.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that communication with the Antonov An-26 was lost at approximately 6:00 pm local time while it was performing what officials described as a routine logistical flight.
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Authorities have ruled out an attack from ground forces or other aircraft for the time being.
While the official investigation is ongoing, state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti have offered conflicting preliminary reports; one source claims the plane struck a mountain, while another suggests a catastrophic technical failure may have occurred mid-flight.
The Antonov An-26 is a workhorse of the Russian military, a twin-engine turboprop designed to carry up to 40 soldiers or heavy cargo. It is frequently utilized for troop deployments, parachute operations, and medical evacuations.
Military investigators are currently at the site to recover the flight data recorders.
While the identities of the 29 victims have not yet been made public, it is understood that the manifest included both crew members and military personnel.
This incident marks one of the deadliest aviation accidents for the Russian military in the region this year.
