Antonov An-26, a Russian transport plane, crashes

According to the Russian defence ministry, a Russian Antonov An-26 transport plane carrying military equipment crashed in Russia’s southern Voronezh area bordering Ukraine on Thursday, killing all crew members on board.

“During a planned flight to transport military equipment, an An-26 aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces crashed,” the defence ministry stated in a statement. The statement simply stated, “The crew died.” It did not go into further detail.

The disaster occurred as Russian troops entered the Ukrainian border and were closing in on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, after the Kremlin ordered a military invasion of its neighbour on Thursday.

The crash, per the defence ministry, was caused by equipment failure and did not result in any damage on the ground. A spokesman for the defence ministry confirmed the incident to AFP, but declined to specify how many crew members died. An-26 planes can accommodate up to six crew members and 38 military troops.

Ukraine is seeking for help from India

Ukraine asked India for help on Thursday in fighting the Russian military who had invaded the eastern European country earlier in the day. Ukraine has appealed to India for assistance in defending its territory against Russian aggression.

Dr. Igor Polikha, Ukraine’s ambassador to India, made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “I don’t know how many world leaders Putin may listen to but the status of Modi Ji makes me hopeful. In the case of his strong voice, Putin at least should think over it. We are expecting for much more favourable attitude of the Indian government.”

“At the present moment, we’re asking and pleading for support of India. In this case of an aggression by a totalitarian regime against democratic state, India should fully assume its global role. Modi ji is one of the most powerful and respected leaders in the world,” he added.