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By Ahoto John Justice
At least six crew members have been killed after a Russian Tu-95 military aircraft crashed during a training flight in the Amur region of eastern Russia.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the aircraft went down in an uninhabited area, with one other crew member taken to hospital.
The crash occurred during a training flight, and Russia’s TASS news agency reported that the aircraft was flying without ammunition.
Interfax said an Aerospace Forces commission had been sent to the crash site to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Videos circulating on social media, which have not been independently verified, appeared to show thick smoke rising from the burning aircraft.
The Tu-95 is a Soviet-era strategic bomber first flown in 1952 and introduced into service in 1956. It remains in service with the Russian military and is capable of carrying and launching nuclear weapons.
The latest crash comes amid a history of military and civilian aircraft accidents in Russia’s Far East.
In July 2025, an Antonov An-24 crashed while travelling to Tynda, killing all 48 people on board. In August 2021, a Mil Mi-8 helicopter crashed in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, killing 16 people.
Russian authorities are continuing investigations into the cause of the latest crash.
