Russia says aircraft with 65 Ukrainian prisoners crashes

MOSCOW -- A Russian Il-76 transport aircraft with 65 Ukrainian prisoners on board crashed in the Belgorod region, local media reported on Wednesday, citing the Russian defense ministry.

"At about 11:00 Moscow time (0800 GMT), an IL-76 plane crashed in the Belgorod region during a scheduled flight. There were 65 captured servicemen of the Ukraine armed forces on board and transported to the Belgorod region," Russia's Sputnik news agency reported, citing the ministry. Others onboard included six aircraft crew members and three accompanying persons.

According to Sputnik, a Russian air forces commission flew to the crash site to establish the cause of the disaster.

Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin said he believes the Ukrainian military shot down the plane, according to the report. He instructed lawmakers to prepare an appeal to the U.S. Congress and Germany's Bundestag in connection with the plane crash to show foreign governments how Kiev is using their military assistance.

"There is a proposal to investigate what missiles and launchers were used. Let's prepare an appeal to the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag so that the deputies can finally see who they are funding and helping," Volodin said.

"They shot their own soldiers in the air. Their mothers, wives and children were waiting...the pilots of our military transport aircraft, who were carrying out a humanitarian mission, were shot at...with American and German missiles," Volodin said.