Russian Nuclear-Capable Bomber Crashes, Killing Six Crew
A Tu-95MS bomber, capable of carrying nuclear missiles, crashed during a training flight in Russia's Amur region, resulting in the deaths of six crew members and injuring one.
A Russian Tu-95MS bomber crashed in the far eastern Amur region on Tuesday during a training flight, killing six members of the crew and injuring one, according to the Russian defense ministry.
The aircraft went down in an uninhabited area, the ministry reported, as cited by the state TASS news agency. The injured crew member was evacuated to a medical facility.
The Tu-95MS, which has been utilized to launch missiles at Ukraine, is a Soviet-era strategic bomber that first flew approximately 70 years ago. It remains a key component of Russia's nuclear strike force and is notable as the world's only propeller-powered strategic bomber.
The crashed aircraft was part of the Ukrainka Air Group, based at an airfield in the Amur Region that houses Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers.
While the crash occurred more than 3,000 miles from Ukraine, early, unconfirmed reports suggested sabotage as a potential cause, with some speculating about Ukrainian military intelligence involvement. The AMK Mapping Telegram Channel claimed that three of the aircraft's four engines failed simultaneously immediately after takeoff, a scenario that could prevent the crew from parachuting to safety.
Ukraine has previously attacked and destroyed Tu-95MS aircraft.