Russia’s Defence Ministry said six of the seven crew members on board a Tu-95MS strategic bomber were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off during a training flight in the far eastern Amur region on Tuesday.
The nuclear-capable aircraft was conducting a routine training flight and was not carrying ammunition, according to the ministry.
Unverified footage circulating online purportedly shows the bomber going down, followed by flames and thick smoke at the crash site. Loud blasts and crackling sounds can also be heard in the video.
"On September 29, a Tu-95 aircraft crashed in the Amur region during a training flight. The aircraft went down in an uninhabited area," the Defence Ministry said.
The seventh crew member survived the crash and was subsequently transported to a medical facility for treatment.
