Russian bomber crashes in Irkutsk Oblast, pilot killed

A Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bomber crashed in Irkutsk Oblast on April 2, killing the pilot and forcing four crew members to eject, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to the state news agency TASS.

The aircraft was reportedly conducting a scheduled flight when it went down in a deserted area. "The search and rescue team that arrived on the scene is evacuating the crew members to the base airfield," the statement reads.

Irkutsk Oblast Governor Igor Kobzev attributed the crash to a technical malfunction and said no local residents were injured.

The Telegram channel Mash reported that the plane struck a power line, causing electricity outages in two nearby villages.

The Tu-22M3, a supersonic bomber developed by the Soviet Union, remains a key component of Russia's Air Force and has been used in strikes against Ukraine.

The aircraft played a role in Russia's heavy bombardment of Mariupol in 2022, dropping unguided bombs on the besieged city.

This is the latest in a string of Russian military aircraft crashes. On March 24, a Su-25 attack aircraft went down during a training flight in Primorsky Krai in Russia's Far East, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy