25 December 2016 10:37 am Views - 8334
The plane disappeared from radar 20 minutes after taking off from the resort of Sochi at 05:20 (02:20 GMT) and fragments have now been found.
The defence ministry said the Tu-154 was carrying service personnel, members of the famed Alexandrov military band and reporters.
The plane was flying to Syria's Latakia province.
The defence ministry said in a statement: "Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5km from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres."
Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the plane was carrying passengers to a New Year's performance for Russian troops deployed in Syria.(BBC)