Support The Moscow Times!

Two Russian Military Fighter Jets Crash In Under 3 Hours

Two different types of Russian military jets crashed during training flights within hours of each other, news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing law enforcement and Defense Ministry officials.

The first plane, a MiG-29 fighter jet, crashed near its base in Astrakhan late last week. The pilot ejected safely, but the plane “exploded, caught fire and was destroyed,” RIA quoted an unidentified government source as saying.

Two and a half hours later, a Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft in Voronezh flipped over while landing. The crew survived, and the plane did not catch fire or explode, RIA reported, but the aircraft sustained heavy damage.

According to sources quoted by the agency, the plane veered off the runway shortly after landing and then turned over. A Defense Ministry source said the plane didn't deploy its drag chute — a small parachute deployed by heavier aircraft such as the Su-34 to slow down after touching the runway.

The MiG-29 (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is an air superiority fighter first fielded by the Soviet Union in 1983. It has seen a number of upgrades over the past two decades and is comparable to the U.S. F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The incident was the third loss of a MiG-29 aircraft in the last year. Last summer, another MiG-29 based in Astrakhan crashed, and its pilot was killed. In December, a sea-based MiG-29KUB also went down. One of the plane's pilots survived, while the other died in the hospital, according to RIA.

The Su-34 (NATO reporting name: Fullback) is one of Russia's newest aircraft, having only entered service last year. It is classified as a strike aircraft, adept for tactical bombing missions and providing support to ground troops.

Russia is halfway through a 20 trillion ruble ($360 billion), decade-long rearmament and modernization program that will end in 2020.

Accidents are frequent in military aviation, especially during training flights. The U.S. has suffered at least four crashes of military aircraft in 2015, resulting a handful of deaths and dozens of injuries.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more