A Russian Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber crashed in Siberia, killing the pilot, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight when it went down in the Irkutsk region, with the crash believed to be caused by a technical malfunction. Russia's air force has seen significant losses throughout the war in Ukraine, with many of those losses attributed to self-inflicted damage.
General Christopher Cavoli, the head of U.S. European Command, reported to American lawmakers that by April 2024, Russia had lost approximately 10% of its aircraft fleet since President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Tu-22M3 bomber, which had a crew of four, is used by Russia to launch Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukraine. The four crew members ejected before the crash.
Irkutsk region governor Igor Kobzev shared on his Telegram channel that the aircraft hit a power line during the crash, leaving hundreds of local residents without electricity. Both Russia and Ukraine have suffered considerable aircraft losses throughout the conflict. Dutch open-source intelligence website Oryx has confirmed that Russia has lost 120 planes and sustained damage to 17 others since the war began in February 2022. Meanwhile, Ukraine has lost 100 aircraft, with four damaged and one captured.
Kyiv's military reported on Thursday that Moscow has lost 370 aircraft since the start of the invasion. However, both Russia and Ukraine rarely release specific figures on casualties or equipment losses. Last month, Russia lost another fighter jet during a routine training mission in the Far East. A Russian Su-25 crashed due to a technical malfunction, but the pilot ejected and was rescued by a search and rescue team.
Kobzev stated that the Tu-22M3 crash occurred near the village of Buret in the Usolsky district, and there were no civilian casualties or damage to residential buildings. Local teams are currently working to restore power to the area.
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