A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in Siberia’s Irkutsk region on Monday, plunging nose-first into the ground and sending a thick plume of smoke into the air, the Russian Defence Ministry said. All four crew members ejected safely and survived the crash.
Videos shared by Russian media outlets linked to the country’s security services showed the Tupolev Tu-22M3 descending steeply before crashing. Unverified footage circulating on social media also appeared to show the aircraft going down in a wooded area near the Angara River, followed by a massive column of smoke.
“The crew ejected. There is no threat to the pilots’ lives or health,” the Interfax news agency quoted the Defence Ministry as saying. Officials added that the bomber was not carrying any combat load and that there was no damage on the ground.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said the aircraft crashed near the village of Kamenka. Emergency crews were deployed to extinguish a fire at the crash site, while all four crew members were taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
According to Kobzev, preliminary information suggests that engine failure was the likely cause of the crash.
About T-22M3 aircraft
The Tupolev Tu-22M3 is a long-range supersonic bomber developed by the Soviet Union and currently operated by Russia. It is the most advanced operational variant of the Tu-22 “Backfire” family and is designed for long-range strike missions against land and naval targets.
Designed primarily for long-range strike missions, the aircraft is capable of attacking both land-based and maritime targets at high speed and over considerable distances.
One of the Tu-22M3’s defining features is its variable-sweep wing design, which allows the wings to change angle during different phases of flight. This improves performance during take-off and landing while also enabling the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds.
Powered by two NK-25 afterburning turbofan engines, the bomber can reach speeds of nearly Mach 1.9, or about 2,000 km per hour, and is operated by a crew of four.
The aircraft is capable of carrying a wide range of weapons, including conventional bombs and long-range cruise missiles.
Its primary armament includes the Kh-22 and the upgraded Kh-32 missiles, which are designed to strike large naval and land targets. Some modernised variants are also capable of carrying the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, one of Russia’s most advanced hypersonic weapons.
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