A strategic missile carrier Tu-22M3 crashed in Russia

Strategic missile carrier Tu-22M3 crashed in the Irkutsk region, reported the Ministry of Defense of Russia, according to BAKU.WS with reference to TASS.

According to the department, the crew ejected, but one of the pilots died. The plane crashed in an uninhabited area, and no destruction or casualties were recorded on the ground.

The Governor of the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev, reported that the incident occurred near the village of Buret in the Bokhansky district, located approximately 80 kilometers from Irkutsk. The crew consisted of four people.

"The cause of the crash was a technical malfunction," said Kobzev.

The Tu-22M3 is a long-range supersonic missile carrier-bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau. It is capable of striking sea and ground targets using guided missiles and aviation bombs. The first test flight was performed in 1977, and serial production began a year later. In 1989, the Tu-22M3 was put into service. In 2018, a modernized version - the Tu-22M3M - was presented.