A Tu-22M3 aircraft that was firing missiles at Ukraine at night has crashed in Russia's Stavropol Territory. This was reported by Russian media.
"The plane crashed in the Krasnogvardeyskiy district of Stavropol Territory, the pilots ejected," said Governor Vladimir Vladimirov. He also added that three pilots were found and "are being taken to hospital".
According to RBC, another pilot is being searched for.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said it was a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber that was "returning to the airfield after completing a combat mission". The probable cause of the crash is a technical malfunction.
The Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published a video of the crash.
"Instant karma in action - a Tu-22M3 aircraft of the Russian Air Forces, which was firing missiles at night, crashed in the Stavropol Territory. The pilots, unfortunately, survived," the caption reads.
Russian media reported that three pilots ejected and survived, while the fourth has died.