A Russian Su-34 supersonic bomber has crashed in the country’s mountainous North Ossetia-Alania region, killing both pilots, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday morning.
A preliminary assessment suggests the aircraft, which was on a routine training mission, suffered a technical failure, the ministry was quoted as saying by TASS news agency.
North Ossetia is located in the North Caucasus, and borders on South Ossetia and Georgia.
The twin-seat plane is capable of striking ground targets with high-precision bombs and missiles. Russian Su-34s have flown multiple combat missions in Syria and Ukraine.
The incident occurred two months after a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber crashed in southern Russia when returning from a raid in Ukraine, killing two of its four crew members.
In October 2022, a Russian Su-34 suffered an engine failure and crashed into an apartment block in the southern city of Yeysk, killing 16 people. Both pilots survived.
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