Russian military plane crash in Syria kills 39

According to Russian state media, Russian transport plane crashed while trying to land at Hmeimim air base, near the coastal city of Latakia, in northwest Syria. 33 passengers and six crew members were killed in the crash. The Defense Ministry said the crash occurred as the Antonov- 26 transport plane came down 500 meters short of the runway. Moreover, the Ministry added that preliminary data suggests that technical malfunction could have caused the crash. While the investigation is still on process, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to the victim’s relatives.