Russian Tu-95 bomber crashes during training flight, six dead

The long-range bomber went down in an unpopulated area of Russia's Far Eastern Amur region, the Defence Ministry said, providing few additional details about the incident. The Tu-95, a four-engine turboprop that has been in service with the Russian Air Force since the 1950s, was conducting a standard training flight at the time of the crash.

Russian state media reports indicate that search and rescue teams were deployed to the crash site immediately following the accident. The Defence Ministry did not disclose the identities of the six crew members who perished in the incident.

The Tu-95 remains one of the world's oldest military aircraft still in active service. The plane is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and is a key component of Russia's long-range strategic bombing capability. Several crashes involving the aircraft type have been recorded in recent years, though details about causes are frequently limited.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing, with Russian aviation authorities expected to examine wreckage and flight data to determine the precise circumstances of the accident. No immediate statement was released regarding preliminary findings or suspected causes.