THIS is the dramatic moment Ukraine shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber as it went down crashing into the ground.
The £228 million aircraft was part of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear strike force – and attack loss is a major blow to the dictator.
East2WestMoment the Russian strategic bomber, part of Russian nuclear strike force, came crashing down after an attack by Ukraine[/caption]
East2WestThe long-range supersonic was downed using S-200 anti-aircraft missile system[/caption]
AFPRemains of a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber crashed in an agricultural field outside Stavropol[/caption]
AFPThe £228million aircraft was part of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear strike force[/caption]
It crashed over the Stavropol region in southern Russia, after completing a bombing attack on Ukraine.
The crash site is some 250miles from the closest border with Ukraine.
The Tu-22M3 strategic bomber was shot down by a S-200 anti-aircraft missile system, said Channel 2, citing sources in Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency.
The GUR said: “As a result of the damage, the bomber was able to fly to the Stavropol region, where it fell and crashed.
“It should be noted that this is the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during combat during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
All four crew members were reported to have ejected from the stricken plane.
They were said by Russian sources to be “alive” and were rushed to hospital, according to reports.
While some reports suggest that the plane’s commander was killed in the crash, Moscow strongly denies he was one of two crew who died.
Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said: “Two pilots from the plane that crashed in the Krasnogvardeisky district have been found.
“They are alive, we are taking them to the hospital. All services went to the scene.”
Kyiv sources suggested that the plane was hit by Russian air defence fire, possibly mistaking it for an incoming Ukrainian kamikaze drone.
Russia strongly denies the warplane was shot down.
Putin’s defence ministry claimed a “technical malfunction” was the likely cause of the downing while admitting the plane was returning from a bombing mission over Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said: “A Russian Air Force’s Tu-22M3 crashed in the Stavropol region after performing a combat mission while returning to its home airfield.
“The pilots ejected, three crew members were evacuated by a search and rescue team, and a search for one pilot is underway.
“There was no ammunition on board, the aircraft went down in a deserted area.
“There is no damage on the ground.
“According to preliminary data, the cause of the accident was a technical malfunction.”
However, a witness to the crash suggested it was not a technical problem.
“Now I have a lot of questions,” he said, suggesting that friendly fire may have been the cause.
One theory is that Russian air defences blew the Tu-22M3 out of the sky in a friendly fire incident – but there is no confirmation.
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