Investigators and personnel from the Ministry of Emergency Situations quickly arrived at the site. According to reports from Russian media, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the regional governor, personally visited the crash location.
Local residents captured the moment of the aircraft’s descent on video. A powerful explosion was reported at the site, leading to speculation that the aircraft might have been carrying ammunition.
The Russian Defence Ministry disclosed that the downed IL-76 was transporting 65 captured servicemen from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to the Belgorod region for a potential exchange. The aircraft also had a crew of six and three escorts on board.
The estimated value of the downed aircraft is approximately $27 million.
