A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Far Eastern Amur region on Tuesday, killing six members of its seven-person crew and injuring another, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

The aircraft went down in an uninhabited area near the village of Krasnoyarovo, close to the Chinese border, according to Russian authorities. The ministry said the bomber was not carrying ammunition at the time of the crash.

“According to preliminary data, six crew members died, while one was injured and evacuated to a medical facility,” the Defense Ministry said.

Regional authorities said the crew attempted to steer the aircraft away from residential areas before the crash, helping prevent casualties on the ground.

An investigative commission from Russia’s Aerospace Forces has been dispatched to the crash site to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed a cause, and reports suggesting a technical malfunction remain preliminary.

Unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show flames and heavy smoke at the crash site. The authenticity and circumstances surrounding the footage could not immediately be independently verified.

The aircraft was a Tu-95, a Soviet-designed, four-engine turboprop strategic bomber that first flew in the 1950s. The nuclear-capable aircraft remains a key component of Russia’s long-range aviation fleet and has also been used to launch cruise missiles against targets in Ukraine.

The bomber was reportedly operating from the Ukrainka air base in the Amur region, one of Russia’s major bases for long-range strategic aviation.

The base was also among the sites targeted during Ukraine’s June 2025 “Operation Spiderweb,” a covert drone campaign against Russian military airfields. Ukrainian officials said more than 40 aircraft were hit, while U.S. officials cited by Reuters estimated that up to 20 Russian warplanes were struck, with around 10 destroyed.

Independent analysis subsequently confirmed significant damage to Russia’s bomber fleet. Janes assessed that 12 aircraft were destroyed in the operation, including seven Tu-95MS bombers, four Tu-22M3 bombers and one An-12 transport aircraft.

The loss of another Tu-95 is significant for Russia’s long-range aviation force because the aircraft is a Cold War-era platform that is no longer in production. Reuters reported in 2025 that Russia faced difficulties replacing strategic bombers damaged or destroyed in the Ukrainian drone attacks, citing the age and complexity of the aircraft and constraints on access to some components.

Tuesday’s crash, however, has not been linked by Russian authorities to the war in Ukraine or to the earlier attacks. The Defense Ministry has said only that the aircraft was conducting a training flight, and the official investigation into the cause is ongoing. (ILKHA)