Could they have been killed in other locations and the plane crashed to conveniently make a public narrative on how they’re no longer alive? The bodies could have been loaded on thvle plane and crashed intentionally for all we know.
Much more complicated than a suitcase bomb. Also if you were the pilot would you fly a bunch of dead guys? How do you think that ends for you?
There are ways… Unmanned plane, pilot parachutes out, kamikaze pilot (dying to regain his honor for putin for a wrong done, ‘you have stage 4 cancer! you do this, we’ll take care of your family’…)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=i3EekrXlGHc&si=6JULV7vWYAzt4Htv
This is the same government where someone brought copies of the sims video game to a “bust of Ukrainian terrorists” to show they captured phones and sims.
I know it feels good to imagine a grand over-arching plan in the world, but most of the time humanity is lucky to hold a bake sale without problems.