State Bureau of Investigations staff have opened a pre-trial investigation into the crash of a Su-24M military aircraft in Khmelnytsky region and seized the flight data recorder for examination.
"Based on the results of the scene inspection, the so-called ‘black box’ was seized for further examination. Investigators are also seizing the aircraft’s logbook, the crew medical examination log, the airfield flight controller’s log and other official documents, including flight authorization documentation," the SBI press service said.
According to preliminary data, the crash occurred on June 16 at around 19:00 near a settlement in Khmelnytsky region during a flight carried out under a combat order.
Two servicemembers were killed in the crash. As the bureau noted, one of them was mobilized among the first volunteers on February 24, 2022, while the other chose military service back in 2019.
An investigative team comprising specialists from the SBI central office and the Khmelnytsky territorial department traveled to the scene. All circumstances of the flight, the aircraft’s technical condition and the causes of the crash are currently being established.
Criminal proceedings have been opened under part 2 of article 416 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of flight rules or preparation thereof, resulting in a crash or other grave consequences). Procedural supervision is being carried out by the Khmelnytsky specialized defense prosecutor’s office of the western region.
