Light aircraft crashes near Moscow, reports suggest Russian air defense mistook it for drone

A light aircraft that crashed in the Moscow region on Friday, March 20, may have been mistakenly shot down by Russian air defense after being misidentified as a drone.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Telegram channel ASTRA, citing the Telegram channel MNS, which published photos of the wrecked light aircraft.

MNS, citing its own sources, claims that Russian Defense Ministry air defense forces mistook the light aircraft flying near Kolomna for a Ukrainian drone and opened fire on it.

As a result, the aircraft crashed near the Oka River. Two people on board were killed.

The Moscow regional branch of Russia's Emergencies Ministry confirmed the crash and the deaths of two people. However, the causes of the incident have not been officially disclosed.

Istra municipal head Tatyana Vitusheva had earlier reported that three drones were shot down. Later, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 21 drones heading toward the capital had been intercepted.

First photo is illustrative