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Still image from a Telegram video: Plane in flames in the sky
Photo: AP
According to the Moscow Defense Ministry, there has been an aircraft accident in the Ivanovo region of Russia.
Accordingly, an Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane crashed.
There were 15 people on board the plane, including eight crew members and seven passengers.
When it hit the ground there was a big explosion.
Authorities reported in the afternoon that inmates had died.
There was no information on the exact number of deaths.
During takeoff, one of the four engines caught fire.
The authorities cited a technical cause as the suspected reason for the crash.
Experts traveled to the crash site to investigate the case.
In January, an Il-76 crashed over the Russian border region of Belgorod.
Russia claims the plane was shot down with a missile from the Ukrainian side.
According to Moscow, 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were supposedly on the plane being transported for exchange and were killed.
(You can read more background information about the case here.) The crash of the plane was also confirmed by the Ukrainian side at the time.
However, the country has not yet confirmed that the prisoners were actually on board.
The Ilyushin Il-76 is used to transport troops, goods and military technology.
In addition to the seven-person crew, the aircraft can transport up to 126 paratroopers with full equipment and a maximum of 48 tons of cargo.
ulz/dpa/AFP