A Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons crashed during a training flight in Russia’s Far Eastern Amur region on Sept. 29, killing six of its seven crew members, according to Russia’s Ministry of Defense.

The aircraft went down near Krasnoyarovo after taking off from the Ukrainka air base, one of Russia’s major long-range aviation facilities. The bomber was not carrying ammunition at the time of the crash, according to Russian authorities.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the crew attempted to steer the aircraft away from populated areas before it went down. “The crew did everything possible to divert the aircraft away from residential buildings,” the ministry said, according to Business Insider.

Only one of the seven crew members survived. “According to preliminary data, six crew members died, while one was injured and taken to a hospital,” the Defense Ministry said.

Unverified footage posted on social media appeared to show flames and a large column of smoke rising from the crash site. Russian officials have not announced a definitive cause. An Aerospace Forces investigative commission was sent “to the crash site to establish all the circumstances of the incident,” according to Al Jazeera.

For the best of our weekly content！

There is something wrong, please try again later
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and to receive messages from Vision Times.
SIGN UP

You are now signed up for our newsletter

Check your email to complete sign up

Loss adds pressure to Russia’s aging bomber fleet

The Tu-95, known by NATO as the “Bear,” is a Soviet-designed four-engine turboprop bomber that first flew in the early 1950s. Despite its age, modernized Tu-95MS aircraft remain an important part of Russia’s long-range nuclear forces and have also been used extensively to launch conventional cruise missiles against Ukraine.

Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec has described the aircraft as part of the country’s nuclear triad and said Tu-95MS bombers “constitute the backbone of Russia’s strategic aviation.” Rostec says the Tu-95MS remains the world’s only operational turboprop-powered strategic bomber.

The aircraft can carry nuclear-capable missiles and has also been used to launch Kh-101 and Kh-555 conventional cruise missiles against targets in Ukraine. Business Insider reported that Russia is believed to have about 47 Tu-95MS aircraft, although Ukrainian intelligence estimates that maintenance problems, combat losses and parts shortages have reduced the number available for operations.

Replacing lost aircraft is particularly difficult because Tu-95 production ended decades ago. Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for airpower and technology at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute, noted following Ukraine’s 2025 attacks on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet that “The Tu-95 has not been produced for more than 30 years” and that “replacing losses will be very challenging.”

Original article
Add as a preferred source on Google