Tu-22M3 bomber firing missiles at Ukraine crashes in Russia
Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in Russia (Russian media)
A military aircraft Tu-22M3 crashed in the Stavropol Krai of the Russian Federation just hours after launching missiles towards Ukraine, according to the Governor of Stavropol Krai, Vladimir Vladimirov.
"The plane crashed in a field in the Krasnogvardeyskiy District. According to preliminary data, there are no casualties or significant damage. The pilots ejected," he said.
Later, Vladimirov announced that two pilots from the aircraft had been found.
"They are alive, we are transporting them to the hospital. All emergency services are at the scene," he wrote.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the crash of the Tu-22M3 in the Stavropol Krai.
"The aircraft crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the base. Preliminary investigation suggests technical malfunction as the cause of the crash. Three crew members have been evacuated, and the search for one pilot is ongoing. There were no munitions on board the aircraft, and there is no damage on the ground," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ground Forces reported that footage shows the crash of a Tu-22M3 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, which had launched missiles towards Ukraine overnight.
Russian media released video footage of the burning wreckage.
Besides the Tu-95, Russia consistently bombards Ukraine with long-range strategic bombers like the Tu-22M3.
For instance, on the night of April 19, Russian occupiers launched another combined air attack on Ukrainian territory. Initially, the enemy deployed several groups of Shahed kamikaze drones, followed by missile launches, including from Tu-22M3 aircraft.
Later, a series of explosions rocked Dnipro. A five-story building caught fire due to missile strikes. There are casualties and injuries in the region due to the missile attacks.
