The downed aircraft was a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber.

For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago, Ukraine said it had shot down a Russian long-range bomber that was used to launch cruise missiles into its territory.

According to Agence France-Presse, the Ukrainian military said in a statement that “the air defense missile force of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Ukrainian defense intelligence service, destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber for the first time.”

The official account of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense posted on Aerial aircraft. “Targets: 2 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles; 14 Shahed drones; 11 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles.

Russian officials said the plane crashed in the southern region of Stavropol while returning to base, killing one crew member.

“A Tu-22M3 aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces crashed in the Stavropol region while returning to the base airport on a combat mission. The pilot ejected,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying.

This morning, a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashed outside Stavropol.

Footage of Russian bombers crashing, burning and spinning: pic.twitter.com/QJ5yg1vtSU

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 19, 2024

Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed the crew member’s death in a post on Telegram and said two others had been taken to medical facilities. “The search for the fourth pilot continues,” he added.

Stavropol, a region in Russia’s North Caucasus region east of the annexed Crimean Peninsula, was the site of numerous attacks throughout the war. Agence France-Presse quoted the governor as saying the plane crashed in the region’s Krasnowaldsky district, about 400 kilometers from the eastern edge of Crimea.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Service said the plane “was shot down approximately 300 kilometers from Ukraine. After the hit, the bomber was able to fly to the Stavropol region and crashed there.”

The Russian invasion began in February 2022.