Shocking image: ‘Russian plane exploded, 140 people died’

Video showing a Russian plane skidding off the runway and exploding in the West African country of Mali has caused controversy.

At least 140 people on board the plane, including Wagner fighters, were claimed to have died.

According to Ukrainian sources, the Ilyushin II-76 cargo plane skidded off the runway and exploded during landing in Gao, Mali, over the weekend. It was claimed that Malian soldiers and Wagner fighters fighting in Mali were on the plane.

Media outlets close to Wagner rejected the claim that Russian fighters were on the plane.

Ukrainian sources indicated that the plane crashed due to a malfunction in the altitude measurement system and, according to the images, it belonged to a Belarusian transport company. The images of the moment the plane exploded also went viral on social networks.

The plane carrying Wagner leader Yevgeni Prigokhin, who launched an uprising against the Moscow government in June, and senior figures in the group crashed in Russia last month, with some describing Pirgokhin’s death as “the leader’s revenge.” Russian Putin”.