Supersonic Warplane Crashes Near Nizhny Novgorod, Pilots Eject

A Su-34 supersonic fighter-bomber of the Russian Air Force crashed on July 1, 2025, near the town of Kulebaki in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The incident occurred around 1:00 PM Moscow time during a scheduled training flight. The aircraft was unarmed and crashed in a forested area, causing no damage to populated regions.

Cause of the Crash

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the crash was caused by a malfunction in the landing gear deployment system. During the landing approach, the crew attempted to resolve the issue in flight but were unsuccessful. Following the flight operations commander's order, the pilots guided the aircraft to a safe area and ejected. Both crew members survived the incident.

Pilot Survival and Rescue Efforts

After ejection, the pilots were located alive and promptly evacuated by a helicopter dispatched to the crash site. Assistance in locating the crew was also provided by forest rangers from the nearby settlement of Veletma. The pilots were found using the aircraft's emergency beacon signal. Preliminary reports indicate that both pilots are in good condition.

Military Aviation in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast

This incident marks the third Russian Air Force jet crash of 2025. In a similar event in September 2018, a MiG-31 interceptor jet crashed near Kulebaki during a scheduled training flight. Both pilots ejected successfully and were unharmed.