NewsDramatic crash of Russian bomber amid claims of Ukrainian downing

Dramatic crash of Russian bomber amid claims of Ukrainian downing

In Russia, a Tu-22 bomber crashed. "It was shot down"

Images source: © Telegram, Vladimir Vladimirov

19 April 2024 08:29

In Stavropol Krai, Russia, a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed. Footage shared online captured the dramatic scene of the aircraft engulfed in flames as it plummeted. There are allegations that Ukrainian forces brought the plane down.

The crash of the strategic Tu-22M3 bomber was first announced by Vladimir Vladimirov, the governor of Stavropol Krai, on his Telegram channel. He reported that the aircraft met its fate in a field within the Krasnogvardeysky District.

The news was posted around 5 a.m. GMT following the cessation of an air raid alarm in Ukraine. Russian missile attacks that day targeted cities, including Dnipro and Odesa.

Vladimirov disclosed that the bomber's crew managed to eject before the crash. While three crew members were discovered alive yet injured, the search is ongoing for the fourth member.

"Information is constantly being updated. I will continue to keep you posted. Please rely only on verified sources and official data," the governor urged.

Telegram's Monitor channel, known for monitoring Russian aviation, asserted that Ukrainian forces downed the aircraft. "This marks the first occasion Ukraine has hit a strategic aircraft in the air amid the Russian invasion," the channel stated, further sharing footage of the aircraft ablaze as it descended.

The Russian Ministry of Defense refuted claims that the bomber was shot down, providing a brief account of the incident.

"In Stavropol, following the completion of a combat mission and on its return to the home airport, a Tu-22M3 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed. The pilots ejected," the ministry reported.

According to preliminary investigations, the ministry proposed that a "technical malfunction" caused the crash, highlighting that no ammunition was on board at the time.

Stavropol Krai lies in the Caucasus region in the southern expanse of European Russia. It shares a border to the north with the Rostov Region, a neighbour of Ukraine.

Source: Telegram/Monitor/VladimirVladimirov, ria.ru