DOWN IN FLAMES
Moment Ukraine ‘shoots down’ one of Putin’s £228m Backfire nuke bombers sending plane plunging to ground in death spiral
Russia strongly denies the warplane was shot down
DRAMATIC footage captured the moment Ukraine "shot down" a Russian Tu-22M3 nuke bomber sending it spiralling to the ground.
The £228million aircraft was part of Vladimir Putin’s nuclear strike force - and the downing is seen as a major blow to the dictator.
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It crashed over the Stavropol region - some 250 miles from the border - in southern Russia after completing a bombing attack on Ukraine.
The long-range 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.”
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The Tupolev Tu-22M3, which was deployed for the first time by Russia in its war with Ukraine during the "carpet-bombing" of Mariupol, has an operational range of nearly 7,000km
It can also carry Kh-15 nuclear or anti-radar missiles, as well as Kh-22 long-range naval strike missiles.
With a crew of four airmen, the Backfire can reach max speeds of more than Mach 2 (2,300kmph).
All the crew members reportedly ejected from the stricken plane i today's crash.
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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 insists he is not dead.
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.
Ukraine ‘launches US-made long-range missiles’ at Putin’s key military airfield in Crimea in huge blitz
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.”
AIRFIELD BLITZ
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 attack 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 £130million supersonic Blackjack bombers was attacked by Ukrainian drones.
At least four explosions rocked the high-security Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region.
The air base, in southwestern Russia, is home to Russia's Blackjack bombers, also known as Tupolev Tu-160.
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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.
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