The An-2 plane was carrying two crew members and 10 passengers when it crashed about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the village of Karataika, in the Nenets autonomous region, the ministry said.
"According to a passenger on the phone, two people died," it added.
A ground team is traveling to the site on snowmobiles and by helicopter, according to Reiters.
No further information has been published so far.
MP/PR