74 dead including 65 Ukrainians in Russian plane crash

Kathmandu: A Russian army plane has crashed in the southern Belgorod area on the border with Ukraine. According to reports citing the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ilyushin-76 military transport plane was carrying about 74 people who died.

BBC correspondent Steve Rosenberg said there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board and they were being taken for exchange. There were six crew members and three assistants on the plane.

In a video being shared on social media, the plane is seen falling down and then exploding. The governor of Belgorod said he was aware of the plane crash, but did not give further details. The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the "Ilyusin-76" military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war was taken for exchange with Ukraine.

According to the Russian official news agency RIA Novosti, which wrote on its Telegram channel on January 24, the Ministry of Defense informed that there were six crew members and three assistants on the plane.