Fatal crash of Russian military transport plane claims 15 lives

Reuters, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, reported that the aircraft involved was an Ilyushin Il-76. The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff on March 12, resulted in no survivors. The incident took place in the Ivanovo region, and early indications suggest an engine fire during takeoff as the probable cause.

Social media footage captured the moment the aircraft, engulfed in flames, descended. A thick plume of smoke was seen billowing into the sky.

Eyewitnesses, as shared by the Nexta profile on the X platform, reported a large smoke cloud near the northern airport. It has been reported that military equipment is being dispatched to the scene of the crash.

The Il-76 is designed for transporting both people and cargo, including military gear. Despite its capacity to hold almost 100 people, it is considered a relatively small aircraft.

The safety record of Russian aviation is concerning. Data from the German Jacdec database revealed that Russia experienced 74 flight safety incidents last year, a notable increase from the 36 incidents recorded in 2022. According to an analysis by the Wall Street Journal, the average incidence rate has surged from 4.5 per 100,000 flights to 9.9.

This deteriorating trend was highlighted last week when Anton Heraszczenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported on the X platform that four Russian airlines suffered flight failures in a single day.