Overview
- Murmansk Governor Andrei Chibis confirmed Monday that Lieutenant General Alexander Otroshchenko died in last week’s military transport crash.
- The Antonov An-26 hit a cliff near Sevastopol on March 31 during a routine flight and everyone on board was killed, according to Russian reports.
- Russia’s Defense Ministry cited a preliminary technical malfunction and reported no sign the aircraft came under fire, and Kyiv has not claimed involvement.
- The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under Article 351, which covers violations of flight rules or preparation regulations.
- Otroshchenko had led the Northern Fleet’s air corps since 2013 and served in Syria, and the aging An-26 model he flew has a long record of fatal accidents dating back decades.