A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashed during a training flight in Siberia on June 15, 2026, according to Russia’s defense ministry.
The aircraft went down in the Irkutsk region near the village of Kamenka, Reuters reported, citing Russian officials. All four crew members ejected from the bomber and were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Russian defense ministry said the aircraft was flying without a combat load and that there was no damage on the ground.
Unverified video circulating on social media showed an aircraft descending steeply into a wooded area before impact, followed by a large column of smoke.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said fire crews were sent to the crash site. He said preliminary information indicated engine failure as the likely cause, though Russian authorities had not released details.
The Tu-22M3, built by Tupolev and known to NATO forces as the Backfire, is a Soviet-era supersonic long-range bomber. Russia has used the type in combat operations in Syria and Ukraine.
The aircraft can carry Kh-22 air-launched cruise missiles and has also been associated with Russia’s Kinzhal hypersonic missile operations.
The crash adds to a series of Russian military aircraft losses during training and combat operations in recent years. Russian authorities said the June 15 crash involved a training flight, not a combat mission.