MOSCOW - A Russian An-26 transport plane crashed in Syria on Tuesday, killing all 26 passengers and six crew members on board, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The military cargo plane hit the ground while landing in the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, the ministry said in a statement.

The plane was not attacked and technical malfunction may have caused the crash, according to the statement.

The Defense Ministry has set up a commission to investigate the crash.

Russia now uses the Hmeymim airbase to support Syrian government troops in the fight against terrorist groups in the country.