DRAMATIC footage captured the moment Ukraine shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 nuke bomber sending it spiralling to the ground.
The £228 million aircraft was part of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear strike force – and the attack is seen as a major blow to the dictator.
East2WestMoment the Russian strategic bomber came crashing down after an attack by Ukraine[/caption]
East2WestThe long-range supersonic was downed using S-200 anti-aircraft missile system[/caption]
AFPRemains of a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber crashed in an agricultural field outside Stavropol[/caption]
AFPThe £228million aircraft was part of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear strike force[/caption]
It crashed over the Stavropol region – some 250miles from the border – in southern Russia after completing a bombing attack on Ukraine.
The Tu-22M3 strategic bomber was shot down by a S-200 anti-aircraft missile system, said Channel 2, citing sources in Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency.
The GUR said: “As a result of the damage, the bomber was able to fly to the Stavropol region, where it fell and crashed.
“It should be noted that this is the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during combat during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
All four crew members were reported to have ejected from the stricken plane.
They were said by Russian sources to be “alive” and were rushed to hospital.
While some reports suggest that the plane’s commander was killed in the crash, Moscow strongly denies he died.
Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said: “Two pilots from the plane that crashed in the Krasnogvardeisky district have been found.
“They are alive, we are taking them to the hospital. All services went to the scene.”
Russia strongly denies the warplane was shot down.
Putin’s defence ministry claimed a “technical malfunction” was the likely cause of the downing while admitting the plane was returning from a bombing mission over Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said: “A Russian Air Force’s Tu-22M3 crashed in the Stavropol region after performing a combat mission while returning to its home airfield.
“The pilots ejected, three crew members were evacuated by a search and rescue team, and a search for one pilot is underway.
“There was no ammunition on board, the aircraft went down in a deserted area.
“There is no damage on the ground.
“According to preliminary data, the cause of the accident was a technical malfunction.”
It comes just days after Ukraine launched a blistering attack on one of Putin’s key military airfields in occupied Crimea.
Dramatic footage shows blinding explosions erupting overnight as Kyiv’s forces destroyed valuable ammunition stores in the blitz.
Ukraine launched its overnight ambush above Dzhankoi airfield in northern Crimea.
The military base – a key hub for Russia – is used by Putin’s twisted forces to launch strikes on Ukraine.
Ukraine used US-made ATACMS long-range missiles in the pinpoint strike.
Some of Putin’s valued choppers are kept at Dzhankoi along with Russian S-300 and S-400 missile systems.
Just weeks ago, another Russian airbase home to Putin’s prized £130m supersonic Blackjack bombers was attacked by Ukrainian drones.
At least four explosions rocked the high-security Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region overnight.
The air base, in southwestern Russia, is home to Russia’s Blackjack bombers, also known as Tupolev Tu-160.
They are Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic missile-carrying bombers dating from the Soviet era.
Along with the Tu-95MS bombers, these planes are the mainstay of Russia’s long-range aviation.
East2WestUkrainian military intelligence shares video claiming they shot down the Russian bomber[/caption]
East2WestThe loss of Tu-22M3 strategic bomber (pictured) is being seen as a huge blow to Putin’s war chest[/caption]