In the Belgorod region, about 30 km from the Ukrainian border, an attack plane Su-25 belonging to the Russian Ministry of Defense crashed. The head of the region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, was the first to officially confirm the information.
“The plane of the Ministry of Defense crashed in the Valuysky urban area. Currently, the on-scene investigation team and employees of the Ministry of Emergencies are working. The cause of the incident is being investigated. The situation is under control.” Wrote On Governor Telegram.
Later, RIA Novosti reported that the plane crashed on its way back to its home airport after completing a combat mission, citing the Russian defense ministry. They also said that the pilot was killed first. This information was later confirmed by the Ministry of Defense.
Later, the emergency services said that the fighter pilot managed to launch and, according to preliminary data, was alive. But according to TASS, he died despite being launched.
The Ministry of Defense also called the preliminary version of the plane crash – a technical malfunction. According to the ministry, the Su-25 crashed in a deserted area, there is no damage to the ground. Citing a source from law enforcement, TASS writes that the fighter fell on the outskirts of the village.
Footage from the crash site, which appeared on the network, shows the charred tail section of the plane in the snow-covered steppe region and traces of the surrounding fire.
During the past year, at least eight planes belonging to the Ministry of Defense crashed in Russia. Two events occurred simultaneously on February 24, 2022. An An-26 carrier of the Russian Aerospace Forces carrying military equipment crashed in the Voronezh region, and a Su-25 attack aircraft crashed (the Ministry of Defense did not specify where it crashed). In the first case, the crew died. In the second, the pilot managed to launch.
On April 8, a MiG-31 fighter-interceptor, making a training flight, crashed in the Leningrad Region. The crew was launched. On June 17, another Su-25 crashed in the Belgorod region – then the pilot was also not injured. A week later, on June 24, an Il-76 belonging to the Ministry of Defense crashed in Ryazan. Due to an engine failure, the crew decided to make an emergency landing where the plane was partially destroyed. Then five people died.
On October 9, a Su-24 bomber crashed in a deserted area of the Rostov region. The crew managed to survive. According to the military department, the cause of the accident was a technical malfunction.
The biggest air accident involving a military plane in terms of number of victims and destruction occurred in Yeysk on October 17, 2022. A few minutes after takeoff, the Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed on a nine-story residential building.
The pilots managed to eject, but spilled fuel caused a fire. As a result, 16 civilians were killed and 43 injured. In the examination, it was determined that the engine of the plane caught fire after being hit by a bird.
On October 23, a multi-purpose Su-30SM fighter jet crashed into a one-story residential building in Irkutsk during a training flight. A fire broke out at the scene, leaving 150 houses without electricity. Both pilots survived. No one on the ground was injured either.