By A $40 million nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 bomber jet, a key component of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear arsenal, has crashed in a fiery blaze shortly after takeoff in Siberia. This incident marks another embarrassing setback for the Russian military, occurring as Ukraine continues its successful incursion into Russian territory.
Dramatic footage captured the moment the valuable Russian aircraft broke apart mid-air before crashing amid fierce explosions. Witnesses reported seeing the Tu-22M3 disintegrate in the sky, followed by an enormous fireball as it hit the ground near the Cheryomkhovsky district of the Irkutsk region, approximately 3,300 miles east of Moscow.
According to reports, the crew of four managed to eject safely before the high-tech plane made impact. Russian state media attributed the crash to a “technical malfunction,” though no clear explanation has been provided.
This incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for Putin, who is currently struggling to repel a Ukrainian border incursion in the Kursk region. Earlier this week, in an apparent show of force, Putin had deployed two Tu-22 planes to threaten the West in a nuclear drill over the Baltic Sea.
Simultaneously, two Tu-95 strategic nuclear missile carriers were reported flying over the Norwegian Sea, escorted by MiG-31 combat warplanes, in a path that brought them close to northern Britain.
The timing of this crash is particularly notable, as it occurs almost exactly one year after Ukraine’s impressive kamikaze drone strike on a Russian military airbase, which destroyed another of Putin’s prized Tu-22 bombers.
The Tu-22, first deployed by Russia in its war against Ukraine during the “carpet-bombing” of Mariupol, is a formidable weapon in Russia’s arsenal. With an operational range of nearly 7,000km, it puts all of Europe and the east coast of the United States within its scope. Russia is reported to have approximately 60 of these aircraft in operation.
These Soviet-designed bombers can carry a variety of payloads, including general-purpose high-explosive bombs, Kh-15 nuclear or anti-radar missiles, and Kh-22 long-range naval strike missiles.
This latest crash represents not only a significant financial loss for the Russian military but also a blow to morale and international prestige. As Ukraine continues to make advances into Russian territory, incidents like these further undermine Putin’s military capabilities and strategic positioning in the ongoing conflict.
the-sun.com
