I hadn't considered that possibility. I was assuming an uncontained engine failure, which is pretty uncommon. A single engine failure (contained) wouldn't have brought down the four engine Il-76, so there was more extensive damage, consistent with a missile hit or an uncontained engine failure. Friendly fire is certainly a possibility.
“IL-76 crashed near Moscow.”
One engine fire out of four should have allowed the plane to land, but it crashed.
It happened during what was at that point the biggest wave of drone attacks on Russia of the war (since surpassed by last night’s wave which may have been 60 or more) - so Air Defense was likely stirred up like a hornet’s nest.
“IL-76 crashed near Moscow”
It did happen shortly after takeoff, so that is also a likely time for any maintenance issue to manifest.