An Il-76 military transport aircraft experienced an engine failure during a no-cargo training flight, prompting the crew to perform a hard landing in the Ryazan region. The incident was confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, which stated that the aircraft touched down with substantial impact and sustained partial destruction on contact with the ground. Emergency responders arrived at the scene, and those who were injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. (Reported by the Defense Ministry via TASS.)
According to the ministry, the decision to land was made after the engine anomaly was detected, and the crew acted to preserve safety while bringing the aircraft to a controlled stop. The extent of damage to the aircraft and the surrounding area was assessed on arrival, with authorities initiating a standard emergency response protocol to manage potential hazards and assist any personnel involved.
Earlier updates indicated that there were nine people on board, including the crew. Initial assessments described a fire at the accident site, and subsequent information from TASS stated that two individuals had died and five were injured. Various social media reports had mentioned a different casualty count, including a total of three fatalities or injuries, but official figures were later clarified by the defense authorities as part of ongoing verification and reporting procedures.
Witness accounts and online postings suggested that firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze at the scene. Official updates emphasized that the priority was to secure medical care for the injured and to preserve evidence for the subsequent investigation into the engine failure and the sequence of events that led to the hard landing. The incident remained under investigation as authorities collected data from the flight crew, air traffic services, and on-site engineers to determine the root cause and any contributing factors.