Eight Russian Tu-95MS Crew Members Killed in Amur Region Crash

A Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber crashed on September 29, 2026, during a training flight near the village of Krasnoyarovo in the Amur Region, resulting in eight military fatalities. The Russian Defense Ministry initially reported six deaths and one hospitalization, but local authorities later confirmed that eight personnel were killed in the incident. Among the victims were three officers: Lieutenant Colonel Fedor Pavlyukov, Major Andrei Gerasimov, and Major Andrei Lobanov, whose names were released by Mikhail Piven, head of the Mazanovsky Municipal District.

According to Ukrainian researchers and the "Book of Executioners" database—a project initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to document military personnel involved in operations against Ukraine—the three officers held positions linked to missile strikes on Ukraine. Pavlyukov served as deputy commander for flight training of the 182nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment from August 2021 to April 2024, where he was responsible for preparing flight crews for combat missions. Majors Gerasimov and Lobanov were squadron commanders in the 121st and 182nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiments respectively, and Ukrainian sources indicate both personally participated in combat sorties involving cruise missile launches against Ukrainian infrastructure.

The Tu-95MS is a Soviet-era strategic turbo-propeller bomber that has been in service for decades. The aircraft was conducting a training flight without ordnance, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, and crashed in an unpopulated area with no civilian casualties. A military investigation commission was dispatched to determine the cause of the crash, though no official findings have been publicly released.

The crash occurred against a backdrop of intensive operational demands on Russia's strategic aviation fleet. Following Ukrainian drone strikes on major Russian air bases, including Engels-2 in the Saratov Region, Russia has relocated significant numbers of Tu-95MS aircraft to Ukrainka air base in the remote Amur Region. This dispersal strategy has extended combat missions to over 12,000 kilometers and approximately 23 hours in duration, involving intermediate stops for refueling and rearming. Such extended operations accelerate wear on aging aircraft and their engines, placing additional strain on crews and maintenance personnel.