A Russian nuclear-capable strategic bomber prized by Vladimir Putin and costing the authoritarian £228m crashed in a remote region of Siberia on Sunday.
The images show the moment of the explosion. The cause of the loss of control of the Tu-22M3 was not immediately revealed.
Witnesses said the plane, used by Vladimir Putin as a key part of his nuclear arsenal, disintegrated in the sky before crashing amid fierce explosions.
It came at a time of deeply tense relations between East and West, and as Russia is at war with Ukraine.
The Putin regime is also repeatedly threatening to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine or the West.
A Russian nuclear-capable strategic bomber prized by Vladimir Putin and costing the authoritarian £228m crashed in a remote region of Siberia on Sunday.
The images show the moment of the explosion. The cause of the loss of control of the Tu-22M3 was not immediately revealed.
The Tu-22M3 (pictured) is prized by Putin for its nuclear capabilities.
Putin (pictured) has invested heavily in his country’s military.
Initial reports indicated the four-person crew had ejected safely before the plane hit the ground and exploded in the Irkutsk region of Siberia.
Three people have been located and a fourth is being sought who has a broken leg, according to reports.
Later reports indicated that he had been found.
The worst they suffered were “bruises and fractures”
There was no thought of danger of nuclear contamination.
The plane crashed near the village of Mikhailovka in the Irkutsk region, about 3,300 miles east of Moscow.
It fell near a major highway.
Although the cause was not disclosed, Russian media were routinely given the explanation that it was a “technical failure.”
The plane crashed near the village of Mikhailovka in the Irkutsk region, about 3,300 miles east of Moscow.
Although the cause was not disclosed, Russian media were routinely given the explanation of a “technical failure.”
It fell near a major highway.
Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin this week deployed two Tu-22M3s to threaten the West in a nuclear exercise over the Baltic Sea.
At the same time, two Tu-95MS strategic nuclear missile carriers flew over northern Britain, flying over the Norwegian Sea, escorted by MiG-31 fighter jets.
The captain was the last to eject, SOTA reported.
The bomber was flying from Belaya airfield when it crashed apparently shortly after takeoff.
One report said: “The crew miraculously managed to steer the plane away from residential buildings and ejected.”
Locals said there were repeated explosions at the crash site.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry was extinguishing a fire at the crash site.
Locals report that explosions occurred at the crash site after the accident.
