There can now be no talk of prisoner exchanges, Andrey Kartapolov said, adding that investigators will soon reach a determination about the crash.

According to Russia's Defense Ministry, the IL-76 was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners to a prisoner exchange when it crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukraine border. Along with the prisoners the plane was carrying six Russian crew members and three guards.

Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said an unspecified "incident" had occurred in the Korochansky district northeast of Belgorod city and he was going to inspect the site.