Russian Tu-95 bomber crashes in Amur region during training flight, killing six crew members

A Russian military Tu-95 bomber crashed in the far eastern Amur region on Tuesday during a training flight, killing six crew members and injuring one other person. The aircraft went down in an uninhabited area, according to the Russian defence ministry. Officials said the plane was not carrying ammunition at the time of the crash.

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The ministry said the injured crew member was evacuated to a medical facility. It added that preliminary assessments point to a technical malfunction as the likely cause. Authorities have opened a criminal case, and an investigative commission from Russia's Aerospace Forces has been sent to the crash site.

Unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show flames and smoke rising from the area, along with crackling sounds. The crash occurred near the village of Krasnoyarovo shortly after the bomber took off from Ukrainka air base, according to Russian state-affiliated media. Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic long-range air bases and is located in the Seryshevo district of the Amur region.

The Tu-95 is a large, nuclear-capable bomber designed in the Soviet Union and first flown in 1952. It remains the only turboprop-powered strategic bomber still in operational use. The loss of a Tu-95 is significant because the aircraft forms part of Russia's long-range strategic aviation fleet.

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That fleet has drawn attention during the war in Ukraine, where long-range bombers have been used in strikes and have also become a target for Ukrainian operations. In June 2025, Ukrainka was among the airfields targeted in a major Ukrainian security service operation codenamed Spiderweb, which used drones concealed in lorries to damage or destroy more than 40 Russian aircraft, including several Tu-95s. The crash also highlights the strain on Russia's strategic aviation assets, which have been dispersed further east in recent years.

According to the supporting report, surviving strategic bombers were redeployed from European bases to Ukrainka. That makes the Amur region an important hub for Russia's long-range bomber force, and any accident there is likely to draw close scrutiny from military planners and investigators. What remains unclear is the exact technical cause of the crash and whether investigators will identify any wider maintenance or operational issues.

It is also not yet known whether the incident will affect the availability of other Tu-95 aircraft at Ukrainka or prompt changes to training procedures. Further official findings are expected from the Aerospace Forces commission and the criminal investigation.

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