[84393] A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in the Irkutsk region

A Russian strategic bomber crashed in the Irkutsk region

A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed earlier today (June 15, 2026) in Russia's Irkutsk region, near the city of Cheremkhovo. The circumstances of the accident are still under investigation, but preliminary reports indicate that a technical malfunction led to the crash.

According to a report on Abu Ali Express, a channel that focuses on news from the Arab and regional arena but also extensively covers the war in Ukraine and the Russian military arena, the crew managed to abandon the aircraft safely. The report was also supported by visual documentation of the moments of the crash.

Reports in the Israeli news system are consistent with the information arriving from Russia. News Israel IL states that "the crew apparently managed to escape" from the aircraft before it hit the ground. Similar details were also reported on Hadashot 360, where it was published that "the pilots abandoned the aircraft using ejection seats and landed safely with the help of parachutes".

The Tu-22M3 aircraft, known by NATO as "Backfire", is a long-range supersonic strategic bomber that serves as a central component of Russian air power. As of now, no official response has been issued by the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding the exact reasons for the downing of the aircraft.