An Antonov AN-26 military plane crashed near the town of Chugheev in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Friday, according to local media.
The plane reportedly crashed next to a road during a training flight.
Ukrainian police are investigating reports of a plane crash in the greater Kharkiv region, and an investigative and operational team have been called to the crash site.
An official statement from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine states that 18 of the passengers lost their lives, while two other people were seriously injured, with burns on 90% of their bodies. The head of the Kharkiv region also said that there were survivors, without mentioning their number.
According to a recent announcement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the death toll rose to 20, without specifying whether these are the two people who were seriously injured in the conflict.
According to the command of the Ukrainian Air Force, the plane crashed during landing, while the same source spoke of dead and wounded.
For its part, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said the plane was carrying 23 people, 18 probationers and five officers.
