Ukrainian military plane crashes in Kharkiv region, killing 26

An AN-26 Ukrainian military transport plane crashed during
a training exercise two kilometers from the Chuhuyiv military airport in the
Kharkiv region on Sept. 25, killing 26 on board (seven crew and 21 cadets with
the Kozheduba Air Force University in Kharkiv). Most of the victims died on
site, while one died from burns in a hospital. One soldier miraculously
survived and was hospitalized, while another was denied boarding. The president
declared a national day of mourning the next day.

The crew’s commander reported the loss of the left engine
and requested an emergency landing before the crash, the Security Service of
Ukraine (SBU) reported. Defense Minister Andriy Taran said on Sept. 26 the
likely cause of the crash was the plane’s wing clipping the ground. At the same
time, safety experts said it was the sensor on the left engine that
malfunctioned, not the engine itself, which had 5,000 flight hours until the
next scheduled repair. The plane had engaged in six takeoffs and five landings
the day of the crash, further proving its capability, he said.

Officials with the State Bureau of Investigations
(DBR) said on Sept. 26 it is considering four possible causes of the crash: (1)
a technical malfunction of the plane’s aggregate apparatus, (2) the crew’s
inadequate fulfillment of its responsibilities, (3) the inadequate fulfillment
of responsibilities by those responsible for directing the flights, and (4) the
inadequate technical servicing of the plane and the preparation for its flight.
It has begun its pre-court investigations.

Zenon Zawada: This crash
is the latest victory in Russia’s war of attrition against Ukraine. In order to
continue fighting this war after six years, Ukraine has to rely on outdated,
Soviet-era military equipment. Although there are numerous theories behind the
crash, they all point to outdated and malfunctioning airplane equipment. 
In this case, the AN-26 transport plane was manufactured in 1977. A significant
portion of Ukraine’s military equipment is similarly outdated and does not meet
NATO standards (or those of any modern army).

This crash will serve to demoralize the Ukrainian
public even further regarding the war in Donbas, which is precisely the
Kremlin’s plan. It will boost the public support for politicians and parties
that advocate capitulating to Russia, including Zelensky and The People’s
Servant party, but particularly the Putin-aligned Opposition Platform For Life
party. We expect the Opposition Platform will have strong results in the
October local elections, particularly in the Kharkiv region.