A Russian Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber was involved in an accident Tuesday during a training flight in the Amur region of Russia’s Far East, killing six crew members and injuring a seventh, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The ministry said the aircraft was not carrying ammunition and came down in an uninhabited area near the village of Krasnoyarovo.
One Crew Member Survives
The surviving crew member was injured and hospitalized, according to regional reports. Rescue crews were dispatched to the accident site. Amur regional authorities said the crew had attempted to direct the aircraft away from populated areas before impact. No injuries or fatalities on the ground have been reported.
Russian authorities have not publicly identified a probable cause. Video circulating online appears to show the four-engine turboprop descending before ground impact, although the sequence of events leading to the accident has not been officially established.
Long-Serving Bomber
The Tu-95, known by its NATO reporting name “Bear,” first flew in the 1950s and remains part of Russia’s long-range strategic bomber fleet. The four-engine, counter-rotating turboprop has also periodically operated near North American airspace. U.S. and Canadian fighters intercepted two Tu-95 bombers and four other Russian military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone in 2024.
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