Shocking video footage circulating on social media has shown the moment a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in a ball for flames, with one crew member killed.
Numerous clips show the aircraft, understood to have taken off from the Belaya airbase, bursting into flames in mid-air and plummeting towards the ground in Irkutsk in Siberia yesterday.
Initially, Russia’s Defence Ministry insisted there had been no casualties, with a statement issued to the state-aligned RIA Novosti news agency explaining: “The crew ejected. Their lives are not in danger.
“The plane crashed in an uninhabited area. There is no damage on the ground.”
However, this version of events was subsequently contradicted by Irkutsk region Governor Igor Kobzev.
Posting on the Telegram instant messaging app, he said: “Work at the crash site of the military aircraft TU-22M3 continued all night. To my deep regret, one of the pilots could not be saved.
“This information is provided by the military command bodies of the Russian Ministry of Defence.
“Sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased pilot.
“This is a truly grievous loss.”
The other pilots had injuries of “varying severity”, Kobzev revealed.
He explained: “The victims were hospitalised. I wish them a speedy recovery.
“Specialists will now have to determine the exact cause of the crash.
“Yesterday, the preliminary version was a technical malfunction.”
Irkutsk is a remote region thousands of miles from Moscow.
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