Rebels shoot down cargo plane in Sudan; Russians may have been on board – video

On Monday, October 21, rebels shot down a cargo plane in Sudan, North Africa, with possible Russian citizens on board, according to the Russian Embassy in Sudan.

"Representatives of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reported via social media that they shot down a cargo plane in western Sudan, claiming its crew included Russian citizens," the embassy stated.

The embassy is in contact with local authorities, taking all necessary measures to clarify the incident's details. However, the situation is complicated as the crash site is in conflict-ridden Darfur.

Meanwhile, Russian propagandist Telegram channel Mash reported that at least two Russians were on board the Il-76 plane. One of them was Viktor Granov, the chief engineer of Airline Transport Incorporation FZC. The other was Anton Selivanets, an aviation engineer from Bashkiria, whose passport was found at the crash site.

The Sudan War Monitor, a project tracking the country's conflicts, reported that the plane belonged to the United Arab Emirates and was mistakenly shot down near Malha. Allegedly, the Il-76 was transporting cargo for the rebels themselves, but they mistook it for a Sudanese army bomber.

"Evidence from the wreckage suggests that this airplane actually was part of an airlift sponsored by the United Arab Emirates in support of the RSF itself. Jubilant fighters on the ground who filmed the wreckage seemed not to have realized that they had shot down a cargo plane used for their own supply and logistics," the report said.