A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Amur region of Russia’s Far East on September 29, killing six of the seven crew members on board. One crew member survived and was hospitalized.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the aircraft went down in an uninhabited area and was not carrying ammunition at the time of the crash. An Aerospace Forces commission has been sent to the crash site to determine what caused the accident.
Unverified videos circulating online appeared to show flames and thick smoke rising from the crash site. The authenticity and circumstances shown in such footage have not been independently verified.
The Tu-95, known by NATO as the “Bear,” is a Soviet-era four-engine strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons and remains an important part of Russia’s long-range bomber fleet.
Authorities have not yet announced an official cause for the crash. The investigation is underway.
