A devastating incident unfolded in the Belgorod region of Russia on January 24, 2024, as an Il-76 military plane, tasked with transporting 65 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen captured as prisoners of war, crashed. The aircraft, carrying a total of 74 individuals, including six crew members and three accompanying persons, plummeted in the Korochansky district, causing a fiery explosion upon impact. Disturbing footage circulating on the internet captured the heart-wrenching moment of the crash. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, promptly headed to the scene, where an investigative team and Emergency Situations Ministry personnel were already engaged in their efforts. While the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the tragic event, details regarding the circumstances leading to the crash and the fate of those onboard remained pending at the time of the initial response.