Russian Military Plane Crash in Crimea Kills 29, Preliminary Cause Technical Malfunction

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that a military aircraft crashed over the Crimean Peninsula, resulting in the deaths of all 29 people on board. The victims included 23 passengers and six crew members, according to an official statement.

The ministry said communication was lost with the Antonov An-26 during a scheduled flight on March 31 at around 6:00 PM Moscow time. Search and rescue teams later located the crash site, confirming that there were no survivors.

A commission from the defense ministry has been dispatched to investigate the incident. Preliminary findings indicate no evidence of external interference, with officials pointing to a technical malfunction as the likely cause of the crash.