Ministry says aircraft that crashed in the Russian border region of Belgorod was carrying prisoners who were to be swapped

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A Russian military transport plane crashed on Wednesday in the border region of Belgorod, Russia’s defence ministry said.

The ministry said the aircraft was carrying 65 Ukrainian PoWs who were to be exchanged with Ukraine in a swap. The ministry added that the Ilyushin Il-76 was also carrying six crew members and three other people.