On Friday, Ukraine announced that they successfully shot down a Russian long-range bomber for the first time since the invasion. This aircraft was utilized to launch cruise missiles targeting cities within Ukraine, which has been severely affected by the ongoing conflict.
For the first time, the air force’s anti-aircraft missile units, working together with Ukraine’s defense intelligence, successfully took down a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber, as announced by the Ukrainian military via a social media statement.
The Russian Defense Ministry attributed the crash to a “technical malfunction.”
Russian authorities reported that an aircraft collided over the southern Stavropol region while returning to its base, resulting in the unfortunate death of at least one crew member.
According to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency, as per the Defense Ministry’s information, two pilots were transported to the hospital, and ongoing searches are being conducted for the fourth pilot.
A video circulating on social media captures the descending bomber spinning, displaying a fire close to its tail.
Stavropol, located in Russia’s North Caucasus region, lies to the east of the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Over the course of a two-year conflict, it has experienced several attacks.
In the Stavropol region’s Krasnogvardeysky district, a plane crash occurred, as announced by the governor. This incident took place approximately 400 kilometers west of Crimea’s eastern border.
The shooting down of a Russian bomber, designed to launch cruise missiles against Ukraine, would symbolize a significant victory for Kyiv. This city has endured numerous nighttime Russian aerial assaults since Moscow’s invasion over two years ago.
