Su-34 fighter jet crashes in Russia, killing navigator

This was reported by the Russian propaganda media outlet RT.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Su-34 crashed in the Nizhny Novgorod region. During the approach for landing, one of the landing gear struts malfunctioned.

According to the ministry, the pilots attempted to fix the issue in flight, but "the situation changed." The crew directed the plane to a safe zone and ejected.

The Russian Ministry of Defense also claims that the Su-34 was not carrying any ammunition and crashed in an uninhabited area.

Later, the Telegram channel Mash reported that the Su-34 navigator died from internal injuries. According to the media, after ejecting, the crew landed unsuccessfully in a tree, and medics were unable to save the man.

Note: Russia first used the Su-34 in 2008 during the war in Georgia. The fighter-bombers were also deployed in Russia’s military operation in Syria.

• Earlier, on April 2, in the Irkutsk region of Russia, a Tu-22M3 bomber-cruise missile carrier crashed, and the pilot did not survive.