A Russian Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber has crashed in the country’s far eastern Amur Region, killing six of the seven crew members on board.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the aircraft crashed on Tuesday, September 29, during a training flight in an unpopulated area of the region. The seventh crew member survived and was taken to hospital with injuries.
The ministry said the aircraft was not carrying weapons when it crashed.
The accident occurred near the village of Krasnoyarovo, in the Amur Region, with the aircraft coming down on the Zeya River, according to local authorities. The area is located in Russia’s Far East, relatively close to the country’s border with China.
Authorities said the crew attempted to steer the aircraft away from residential areas before the crash. There were no reported casualties on the ground.
Investigation Underway
An investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the crash, with a team sent to the site to examine the wreckage.
The cause of the accident has not yet been established. Russian authorities have not publicly attributed the crash to a particular technical failure or other cause.
The aircraft was identified by the Defence Ministry as a Tupolev Tu-95, a long-range strategic bomber developed during the Soviet era. The type is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and remains part of Russia’s strategic aviation fleet.
The Tu-95 has also been used by Russia to launch cruise missiles during its war against Ukraine.
The individual aircraft registration or military serial number involved in Tuesday’s accident has not been released in the major reports available so far.
The investigation is expected to establish what caused the aircraft to crash during the training flight.
