A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber has crashed in the Amur region of Russia’s Far East, killing six members of its seven-person crew, according to Russian authorities. The aircraft crashed on Tuesday, September 29, during a reported training flight in the Amur region, which borders China. Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the deaths, while reports said the surviving crew member was hospitalized.
The aircraft involved was a Tu-95MS, a long-range strategic bomber that forms part of Russia’s strategic aviation fleet. The aircraft is capable of carrying cruise missiles and is one of the platforms Russia has used to conduct long-range strikes during its war against Ukraine.
Initial reports did not establish what caused the crash. Russian authorities had not publicly confirmed whether the accident resulted from a mechanical failure, human error or another factor.
Some reports said the bomber went down shortly after take-off and that multiple engines may have failed, but those details had not been officially confirmed at the time of the initial reports. Speculation about possible sabotage also emerged online, but there was no official confirmation linking the crash to an attack.
The crash occurred in Russia’s Far East, thousands of kilometres from the front line in Ukraine. The Tu-95 is a major component of Russia’s long-range bomber force and has been used to launch cruise missiles from Russian territory.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash as they seek to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
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