The Russian Embassy in Kabul said it did not have conclusive information on the presence of Russians on board a cargo plane that crashed about 30 kilometers north of the Afghan capital Friday killing all crewmembers.

"The company that leased the plane said the crew comprised five Russians, but this information has not been confirmed," the embassy said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry was also unable to confirm this information. "The plane`s crew included eight people but their nationalities are unknown," a ministry official said.

The Associated Press quoted eyewitnesses as saying Russian magazines and ruble notes had been found among the debris.

Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky, the spokesman for the Russian Air Force, said, "The plane has nothing to do with the Russian Air Force. Therefore, there were no Russian military pilots on board."
sections: Accidents, World News