A Russian Antonov-26 military plane crashed while flying over the occupied Crimean peninsula, killing 29 people, the TASS state news agency reported Wednesday, quoting Russia’s defence ministry.
The Russian investigative committee, which handles major crimes, also confirmed the crash, without stating the death toll.
“On 31 March 2026, an An-26 aircraft crashed whilst in flight near the village of Kuibyshevo in the Bakhchysaray district of the Republic of Crimea. There were 7 crew members and 23 passengers on board,” the committee said.
An investigation has also been launched into a potential flight safety breach.
Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, has governed the peninsula as part of its territory ever since.
According to TASS, the defence ministry stated that contact with an An-26 military transport aircraft was lost at about 18:00 Moscow time on March 31 while it was carrying out a routine flight over the Crimean Peninsula.
Search and rescue teams later located the crash site. Reports from the scene confirmed that all 29 people on board—six crew members and 23 passengers—lost their lives.
Initial findings showed no evidence of external damage to the wreckage, suggesting that a technical fault was the likely cause of the crash.