As reported by the information portal 34.ua , citing monitoring channels and the first official statements, a military aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber Tu-22M3, has just crashed over the territory of the Russian Federation.
The plane was on a combat mission, but never reached its home airfield. Local residents are publishing the first footage of the plane crash, which was captured engulfed in flames right in the air before a hard landing.
What is known about the incident right now?
According to preliminary data, the plane crashed in a deserted area. There was a crew of four pilots on board.
Fate of the crew: It is currently known that the pilots attempted to eject. Search and rescue services were urgently dispatched to the crash site. Information on the condition and number of surviving crew members is currently being clarified;
Reasons for the crash: the Russian side traditionally claims a “technical malfunction” or failure of one of the engines during the return to the airfield after completing the mission. At the same time, the Ukrainian defense forces and monitoring groups are checking information about the possible successful destruction of the board by air defense means or technical wear of the missile carrier due to intensive use;
Consequences on the ground: According to preliminary reports from the Russian emergency services, there was no damage or civilian casualties at the crash site. The plane burned completely and exploded from the detonation of fuel residues.
Help: What kind of plane is this?
The Tu-22M3 (NATO reporting name Backfire ) is a Soviet/Russian long-range supersonic bomber with a variable-sweep wing. It is these aircraft that carry the Kh-22 supersonic anti-ship missiles, with which the Russian Federation regularly strikes peaceful cities in Ukraine, in particular residential and critical infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Each loss of such a plane is irreparable for the aggressor, since Russia is currently unable to produce new aircraft of this class.
Context and security situation
This plane crash occurred against the backdrop of an extremely tense security situation in Ukraine on June 15, after the elimination of the consequences of a large-scale night-time combined shelling. The destruction or downing of another strategic bomber significantly reduces the offensive potential of Russian aviation.
The 34.ua editorial team continues to monitor the situation in real time. As soon as official confirmations from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the exact coordinates of the crash, and data on losses among the crew of the enemy missile carrier appear, the material will be immediately updated in the military news feed.