Fragments of the body of the Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry have been found 1.5 kilometers off Sochi in the Black Sea at the depth of 50-70 meters, the ministry's spokesperson told Interfax on Sunday.

"During a planned flight from the airfield in the city of Adler at 5.40 a.m. (Moscow time), after takeoff, the Tu-154 disappeared from the radars. There were 83 passengers and eight crew on board," the ministry said.

All search and rescue services of the Defense Ministry and other federal agencies have been called in.

"The Tu-154 plane which disappeared from the radars was carrying Russian military personnel and artists from the Alexandrov ensemble, who were flying to congratulate the Russian Aerospace Force grouping at the Hmeimim airbase (Syria) on New Year, as well as nine Russian journalists," the spokesperson said.