Key facts
- A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in Siberia's Irkutsk region during a training flight.
- The aircraft's crew successfully ejected and are reported to be safe.
- The bomber was not carrying any munitions at the time of the incident.
- No damage occurred on the ground as a result of the crash.
A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed on Monday in Siberia's Irkutsk region during a training flight, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. The aircraft, code-named "Backfire" by NATO, is capable of carrying hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and has been used in combat missions in Syria and Ukraine. Unverified social media footage depicted the plane nose-diving into a wooded area near the Angara river, generating a large smoke plume. The Defence Ministry confirmed that the crew ejected safely and that there was no threat to their lives or health. The aircraft was not carrying a combat load, and no damage occurred on the ground. The governor of Irkutsk, Igor Kobzev, stated that emergency services were on the scene near the village of Kamenka. The Tu-22M3 is a Soviet-designed supersonic long-range strategic bomber and missile carrier that entered service in the 1980s. Russia has extensively used the aircraft during its full-scale war against Ukraine to launch Kh-22 and Kh-32 cruise missiles. In April 2024, Ukraine reported downing a Tu-22M3 for the first time since the start of the full-scale war, saying the aircraft had been hit some 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the border.