Video: Russian Bomber Goes Into Tailspin After Being Shot Down By Ukraine

In a first since Russia's invasion of the country over two years ago, Ukraine has said that it has downed a Russian long-range bomber used to fire cruise missiles into its territory.

"For the first time, anti-aircraft missile units of the air force in cooperation with the defence intelligence of Ukraine destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber," Ukraine's military said in a statement, according to news agency AFP. 

The official handle of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry posted on X, "The Ukrainian Air Force shot down the enemy Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, which Russia used to attack Ukrainian cities. In addition, our warriors repelled another massive air attack and shot down 29 aerial targets: 2 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles; 14 Shahed UAVs; 11 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles."

Russian officials said one member of the plane's crew died after it crashed over the southern Stavropol region while flying back to base.

"A Russian armed forces Tu-22M3 aircraft crashed in the Stavropol region while returning to the base aerodrome after performing a combat mission. The pilots ejected," the state-run TASS news agency quoted Russia's defence ministry as saying. 

This morning, a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashed outside of Stavropol.

Footage of the Russian bomber falling, burning and in a flatspin: pic.twitter.com/QJ5yg1vtSU

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 19, 2024

In a post on Telegram, Stavropol governor Vladimir Vladimirov also confirmed the death of the crew member and said two others were taken to a medical facility.  "The search for the fourth pilot is continuing," he added.

Stavropol is a region in Russia's north Caucasus, to the east of the annexed Crimean peninsula, which has seen multiple attacks throughout the war. Quoting the governor, the AFP report said the plane crashed in the region's Krasnogvardeysky district, about 400 km from the eastern edge of Crimea.

The main intelligence directorate of Ukraine's defence ministry said the plane "was shot down at a distance of about 300 kilometres from Ukraine. As a result of the hit, the bomber was able to fly to the Stavropol area, where it crashed." 

The Russian invasion began in February 2022.