Russia says military plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed, all dead

A Russian military transport plane that was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed near the Ukrainian border in the Belgorod region on January 24. About 65 prisoners of war alongside 6 crew members and 3 other people were on board the plane when it crashed. There was no immediate information on the cause.

Shortly before the crash, Vyacheslav Gladkov Belgorod’s governor said on his Telegram channel that a “missile alert” had been triggered in the region and warned residents to take shelter, reports AP news agency.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said it was looking into the crash but did not immediately provide any information. Instead, it cautioned against sharing “unverified information.”

“We emphasize that the enemy is actively conducting information special operations against Ukraine aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society,” it said in a statement on Telegram.

The Kremlin said that it was looking into the situation. In recent months, the Belgorod region has repeatedly come under attack from Ukraine.

(With inputs from AP)