Russia has accused Ukraine of shooting down a military plane, resulting in the deaths of all 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs). The plane was reportedly carrying the POWs to the Belgorod region for a prisoner exchange. The Russian defense ministry has claimed that the plane was shot down by Kyiv and blamed Western missiles for the act. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the crash as of yet, but they have urged caution in sharing unverified information. The top lawmaker in Russia’s lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, has also blamed Kyiv and Western missiles for the incident. The crash took place in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region, and governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed that everyone on board had died. Disturbing footage of the crash has been circulating on social media, showing the plane falling from the sky and exploding upon impact. The Russian defense ministry has labeled the attack as a terrorist act. The Il-76 transport aircraft, which is primarily designed to transport troops and military equipment, was carrying a crew of six, three additional passengers, and the 65 Ukrainian POWs. Russian radar detected the launch of two Ukrainian missiles from the Kharkiv region towards Belgorod. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has reached a static front line spanning 1,500 kilometers, and both sides have been focused on replenishing their weapons stockpiles, leading to increased long-range strikes. In a separate incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that a major Russian missile attack had caused deaths and injuries in three Ukrainian cities. Over 40 missiles struck 130 residential buildings in what Zelenskyy described as ‘ordinary houses.’ The conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have intensified, resulting in significant casualties in both countries.