A Russian An-22 military transport aircraft crashed Tuesday in the country’s Ivanovo region to the northeast of Moscow. All crew members were killed when the turboprop went down. Russia’s Investigative Committee said the aircraft crashed during what the Defense Ministry described as a test flight following repair work. Officials have not released the number of people on board, though earlier reporting from the state-run TASS news agency put the crew at seven.
Search teams quickly deployed to the area and investigators opened a formal inquiry into the crash. State media reported a mid-air breakup and said fragments fell into a nearby reservoir. The Defense Ministry said the flight was intended to return the aircraft to service.
Russian outlets cited anonymous sources who suggested the crash was likely caused by a technical malfunction. The An-22, a decades-old heavy transport aircraft, had previously been reported as retired, and why it was still operating remains unclear. Authorities said there was no indication the incident was connected to the war in Ukraine. The aircraft was the last known AN-22 operating in Russia.
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