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Russia’s Bad Day in the Skies—After Su-34 Fighter Jet Loss, An-26 Transport Plane Crashes
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russia has lost a military transport aircraft over occupied Crimea, marking the second aircraft incident in just 24 hours following the reported loss of a Su-34 fighter in the same region, according to Russian state media TASS on April 1.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that an An-26 aircraft disappeared while flying over Crimea, with contact lost during what was described as a routine flight.
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Officials said the aircraft “was not shot down,” offering no further details about the circumstances of the incident.
Initial reports suggest the crash may have been caused by a technical malfunction or crew error, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Search-and-rescue teams were dispatched to the suspected crash site, where early information indicates the aircraft struck a rocky area.
Archival footage of the flight of the Russian transport aircraft An-26 at an extremely low altitude over Snake Island in May 2022.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 19, 2023
The video was filmed by a Ukrainian drone. pic.twitter.com/vavc8VJ0nh
According to preliminary data, around 30 people were on board, including both crew and passengers. Russian sources later reported that 29 people were killed in the crash.
The An-26 is a Soviet-era military transport aircraft widely used for logistics and personnel movement. Incidents involving the platform are often linked to aging airframes and maintenance challenges, particularly under sustained operational strain.
The loss comes just hours after reports of a Russian Su-34 fighter going down over Crimea, raising questions about flight safety and operational pressures facing Russian aviation in the region.
Earlier, a Russian An-22 military transport aircraft belonging to the country’s Ministry of Defense crashed in Ivanovo region on Monday, with all seven crew members killed in the crash.
