Mystery of object falling from Russian plane before crash

VChK-OGPU news site, citing information believed to come from within the Russian security forces, said that witnesses reported that a "strange" object had fallen from the plane just before it crashed near the Belgorod region (Russia) at around 11 a.m. local time.

According to Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, "several large objects" fell from the Il-76 before the accident. It is not yet clear what those objects were.

Authorities have cordoned off the crash site and local residents are banned from approaching the site, Mr Gerashchenko said.

Russian plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners crashes

The cause of the accident is still unknown. The Russian Defense Ministry said that all 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners, died when the Il-76 plane was taking prisoners to the Russia-Ukraine border area for an exchange.

Moscow accused Kiev of using a missile to shoot down the plane and called it a "terrorist act".

"The Ukrainian leadership knows that according to established practice, Ukrainian prisoners of war will be transported by military transport aircraft to Belgorod airport today for exchange. According to previous agreements, the event will take place in the afternoon at the Kolotilovka checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The independent Russian news site The Insider also cited a source familiar with the prisoner exchange procedure in Russia as saying that captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were on board the Il-76 at the time of the crash.

Meanwhile, Ukrainska Pravda news agency quoted an unnamed source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces as saying that the plane was transporting missiles for Russia's S-300 air defense system and did not mention prisoners of war.

Ukraine said its authorities are investigating the incident and called for an international investigation.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/bi-an-vat-the-roi-khoi-may-bay-nga-truoc-khi-gap-nan-20240125111125090.htm