A Russian military plane burst into flames and crashed while on its way to Ukraine to support Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

The Ilyushin-76 cargo plane was spotted on fire above the Russian city of Ryazan immediately after refueling there.

It made an emergency landing behind a busy residential tower, exploding as it touched down.

Nine crew members were onboard. At least four of them were killed with the rest in a “grave” condition after being rushed to hospital.

Three of those killed – Vladimir Petrushin, Nikolai Gorbunov, and Dmitry Andreev – died at the crash site, while a fourth died in hospital.

It is understood that there were no civilian casualties on the ground, despite the plane crashing close to both shops and residential areas.