As many as 71 people are feared dead following a plane crash on the outskirts of Moscow.

A aircraft, an An-148, took off from Domodedovo airport in the Russian capital before disappearing from radar screens.

It came down near the village of Argunovo, some 85 kilometres south-east of Moscow.

The aircraft was operated by Saratov Airlines, with all on-board believed dead.

The plane was en route to the city of Orsk in the Urals, near the border with Kazakhstan.

Saratov Airlines is based in Saratov, nearly 1,000 kilometres south-east of Moscow.

The carrier flies mainly on domestic Russian routes but also has destinations in Armenia and Georgia.