Simferopol, Crimea — A Russian military transport aircraft crashed over the Crimean Peninsula, killing 29 people, according to officials in Russia. The aircraft, identified as an Antonov An-26, went down near the village of Kuibyshevo in Bakhchysaray district, authorities said.
Okay News reports that the crash occurred during a scheduled flight over the peninsula, which is controlled by Russia but internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. The state-run news agency TASS cited the Russian Ministry of Defence as confirming that contact with the aircraft was lost at about 18:00 Moscow time on Monday, March 31, 2026.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which handles major criminal cases, said in a statement: “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.”
Search and rescue teams later located the crash site. Officials reported that all passengers and crew members died in the incident.
According to information released by the defence ministry, no signs of external impact were discovered on the wreckage. Early findings suggest that a technical malfunction may have caused the crash. Authorities have opened an investigation into possible flight safety violations.
The Crimean Peninsula has been under Russian administration since 2014, when Moscow annexed the territory from Ukraine. The move is not recognized by most countries and continues to be a major point of international dispute.
The incident is expected to prompt further scrutiny of military aviation safety in the region. Investigators will examine maintenance records, crew procedures, and weather conditions to determine the exact cause of the crash.
