Tu-22M3 Bomber Goes Down in Russia - Pilot Killed, Power Cut to Hundreds

A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, the type frequently used to launch Kh-22 missiles over Ukraine, crashed in Russia’s Irkutsk region on Wednesday, April 2.

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the aircraft went down in a deserted area, causing no reported damage on the ground, initially citing a technical malfunction as the cause. A search and rescue team was dispatched to evacuate the crew.

Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev posted on Telegram that the plane was on a scheduled flight when it crashed near the village of Buret with a population of 670.

He confirmed that all four crew members ejected, but the commander reported one of his team was killed. The surviving crew members are said to be receiving medical care.

Despite TASS claiming there was no fire, Russian social media published footage that showed flames and smoke at the crash site.

The crash also caused a power outage as the downed plane struck a power line, cutting electricity to 210 homes and three critical facilities including a secondary school. Engineers were working to restore electricity, according to Kobez who later said that power was restored in the village, at 7:55 am, adding, “However, much work still remains to be done.”

The Tu-22M3, a Soviet-era strategic bomber, has been in service since 1982 and is designed to deliver both nuclear and conventional strikes. Armed with Kh-22, Kh-15, Kh-32 missiles, and KAB-500 guided bombs, it plays a key role in Russia’s long-range air attacks on Ukraine.

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This is not the first Tu-22M3 crash in Irkutsk - on August 15, 2024, the same model of aircraft went down, according to a TASS report at the time for which the Russian Defense Ministry also blamed on an unspecified technical failure.

During that previous crash all four crew members survived but suffered injuries and fractures.