Four People Killed In Russian Military Plane Crash Southeast Of Moscow

The IL-76 aircraft reportedly had a malfunctioning engine. (file photo)

Four people are dead after a Russian military cargo plane crashed when it was forced into an emergency landing in a field near the city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow.

The Defense Ministry said the IL-76 aircraft suffered an engine malfunction, forcing it out of the sky. Ryazan is about 190 kilometers southeast of the capital.

A video posted by the Baza online news group shows what appears to be the plane engulfed in flames before it hits the ground.

This is the third military plane to crash in recent days in Russia.

Earlier this week, a Russian pilot died after his SU-25 military plane crashed in the Rostov region that borders Ukraine's eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, where Ukrainian armed forces have been fighting against Moscow's ongoing unprovoked invasion since February 24.

On June 17, a Russian pilot ejected from his SU-25 plane, which crashed in the Belgorod region that also borders Ukraine. The pilot survived.

Russian military officials said the two crashes were caused by "technical malfunctions."

With reporting by Baza and TASS