Watch: Russian strategic bomber crashes in Siberia
What's the story
A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed on Monday during a training mission in Siberia's Irkutsk region, the Defense Ministry confirmed. The incident took place when the aircraft was preparing to land and was not carrying any weapons. Video footage from Russian media channels showed the bomber nosediving into a wooded area near the Angara River, creating a large smoke column.
Twitter Post
Watch video of crash
Very closeup video of the highly expensive Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashing today. https://t.co/ds1Oa1ehAD pic.twitter.com/RrVg7eO6H2
— WarMonitor🇺🇦🇬🇧 (@WarMonitor3) June 15, 2026
Crew safety
Crew ejected safely, no threat to life
All four crew members of the Russian Tu-22M3 bomber ejected safely before impact, officials confirmed. They were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The Defense Ministry said, "The crew ejected. There is no threat to the pilots' lives or health." No damage on the ground was reported as a result of this incident.
Investigation underway
Engine failure suspected cause of crash
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said preliminary information indicated engine failure as the possible cause of the crash. Fire crews were deployed to extinguish a blaze at the site of the incident. An investigation is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event. The Tu-22M3, a modernized version of Soviet-era supersonic bombers, is an important part of Russia's strategic aviation fleet and has been used in military operations before.
Aircraft profile
Bomber can carry cruise, hypersonic missiles
The Tu-22M3 can carry Kh-22 cruise missiles and hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. It was reportedly used in combat missions in Syria and Ukraine. The incident comes less than a year after Belaya airbase was targeted during "Operation Spider Web," a large-scale Ukrainian drone campaign against Russian military airfields. In similar news, A United States Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California on Monday, killing eight people on board.