A Russian military plane has crashed in the occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, killing 29 people on board, the Russian defense ministry has said. Wreckage of the An-26 aircraft was found on Tuesday after the plane lost contact with authorities during a 'routine flight', according to the ministry.

It blamed a 'technical failure' for the crash, reporting no external damage to imply that missiles, drones, or birds are not suspected causes. The aircraft had seven crew members and 23 passengers as it flew over Crimea, a region that Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

Russia's Investigative Committee confirmed the incident, stating it would open an inquiry into flight safety violations. Communication with the plane was lost at about 18:00 local time on Tuesday, with wreckage located shortly after a search and rescue effort.

Ukraine has not commented on the crash. The An-26, produced by the Ukrainian aerospace company Antonov, is a Soviet-era aircraft predominantly used for military transport. It has been operational since the late 1960s and has been involved in many deadly incidents.

Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces has persisted in Crimea since Moscow's full-scale invasion four years ago. Ukrainian military efforts have primarily targeted Russian bases in the peninsula, which is strategically located adjacent to the partially Russian-occupied Kherson region in southern Ukraine. President Zelensky has consistently demanded Russia withdraw from Crimea as part of peace negotiations.}