In the early hours of Friday morning, reports emerged of a Russian long-range Tupolev-22M3 bomber crashing into a field in Russia’s Stavropol region, within the North Caucasus. This incident has sparked conflicting statements from Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing tensions and the murky airspace over conflict zones.
The plane crashed in the Krasnogvardeysky district of the region, stated the governor — approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the eastern border of Crimea. Stavropol, located in Russia’s North Caucasus, lies to the east of the annexed Crimean peninsula, which has witnessed numerous assaults during the two-year conflict.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that the crash was due to a “technical malfunction”, with three out of the four-person crew having been located and hospitalized. One crew member reportedly died, and efforts to locate the fourth pilot continued, as confirmed by Sevastopol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov.
Contrary to the Russian statement, Ukrainian military officials assert a more confrontational narrative. Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk claimed that “anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, destroyed” the bomber, marking it the first time a plane from Russia’s strategic aviation fleet was purportedly shot down by Ukraine.
The Tu-22M3, a supersonic long-range strategic strike bomber designed during the Cold War era, represents a significant asset in Russia’s military aviation, with around 31 such aircraft reportedly in service. Valued at approximately €300 million each, these bombers have been implicated in carrying out long-range attacks, including the firing of cruise missiles into Ukrainian territory.
As Ukraine continues to endure airstrikes, including a significant missile strike on the central region of Dnipropetrovsk on the day of the bomber crash, Kyiv’s military intelligence agency indicated that the downed aircraft had been partaking in these very assaults.
Social media has added fuel to the fire with unverified footage purportedly showing a warplane with its tail aflame spiraling towards the ground. However, the Russian defence ministry maintained that the aircraft was not carrying bombs at the time of the incident.
Relevant articles:
– Russian long-range bomber reportedly shot down over Russia’s North Caucasus
– Ukraine says it took down Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, Yahoo News UK, Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:40:33 GMT
– Ukraine Says Downed Russian Long-Range Strategic Bomber, The Defense Post, Fri, 19 Apr 2024 08:06:45 GMT