Russian Tu-22M3 Bomber Crashes After Catching Fire, 1 Pilot Dead, 3 Crew Rescued

A Russian Tu-22M3 long range bomber crashed in the Stavropol area after completing a combat mission over Ukraine, marking the first crash of its kind since the invasion in February 2022.

A video posted on X shows an aircraft of the size and shape of a Tu-22 on fire and spinning towards the ground.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed the crash stating that its probable cause was a technical malfunction. However, Ukrainian social media handles claimed the aircraft was shot down with a surface-to-air missile.

“A Tu-22M3 long-range bomber crashed in the Stavropol Territory due to a technical malfunction. Three crew members were evacuated by the search and rescue team. Currently, the search for one pilot is underway,” the Russian MoD reported on Friday.

  “There was no ammunition on board. The plane crashed in a deserted area. There was no destruction on the ground.

A later update from the Stavropol regional governor Vladimir Vladimirov said, “Updated data has been received on the incident with a Russian military aircraft in the Krasnogvardeisky district. Unfortunately, the third crew member died. I express my condolences to his family and friends. The search for the fourth pilot continues,” Vladimirov wrote on his social media page. Vladimirov said that two pilots were taken to regional medical institutions.