Russia reports crash of its Su-34 fighter jet
A Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday, citing Russia’s Defense Ministry.
The ministry stated that the aircraft was conducting a training flight without ammunition and crashed in an uninhabited area.
According to the ministry, the crash occurred during landing when one of the landing gear systems failed. The two pilots reportedly ejected and are alive.
The Su-34 is a mainstay of Russian tactical aviation, classified by Russia’s Aerospace Forces as a frontline fighter-bomber used for deploying guided air bombs, including those with munition guidance kits.
Overnight into June 27, Ukrainian forces struck the Marinovka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, damaging four Su-34 aircraft, two of which were destroyed, according to Ukrainian reports.
As of July 1, Russia has lost 420 warplanes in its full-scale war against Ukraine, per the latest estimates.