Post-Minsk II conflict Attacks on civilians Related On 14 June 2014, an Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft of the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down by forces of the Russia-backed separatists from Luhansk People's Republic while on approach to land at Luhansk International Airport, Ukraine, during the initial phase of the war in Donbas.

[6] A military analyst based in Kyiv reported that two empty launch tubes for Igla missiles had been found near the Luhansk airport.

[9] On 7 October 2017, the Security Service of Ukraine claimed it had established the involvement of the Russian private military company Wagner Group in the downing of the Il-76.

[13] Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko threatened separatists with an "adequate response"[6] and declared 15 June a day of national mourning.

[7][14] In a televised emergency meeting, Poroshenko scolded the head of the country's SBU security service for "omissions" in protecting the aircraft.

[15] The acting defense minister of Ukraine Mykhaylo Koval announced that the decision has been made to relieve the chief of staff of the Ukrainian military of his duties for the period of the investigation into the incident.