Two Mi-8 helicopters and two bomber planes crash in Russia’s Bryansk region

Two Mi-8 helicopters, one Su-34 bomber plane and one Su-35 bomber plane crashed in Russia’s Bryansk region, according to Kommersant.

One Su-34 bomber plane and one Mi-8 helicopter crashed near the town of Klintsy in Russia’s Bryansk region, reports TASS, a Russian state media outlet. A source from emergency services told TASS that the helicopter crash was caused by an engine fire, though an explosion can be heard in videos posted on social media.

TASS reported that the Su-34 bomber plane crashed in Russia’s Bryansk region, near the border with Ukraine. The circumstances of the crash are still being investigated. The Telegram news channel Mash reports that the Su-34 pilot and navigator were killed after they were unable to eject from the aircraft. The bodies of the crew members have been found.

The Mi-8 crash was caught on video. Mash reports that a missile-like object can be seen approaching the helicopter before an explosion.

Another video reportedly shows the Su-34 bomber plane on fire at the crash site. According to Mash, the Su-34 crashed approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Mi-8 crash site in Klintsy.

Several houses were reportedly damaged by falling debris, reports state-owned Russian news outlet RIA Novosti. According to the Telegram channel Baza, a 51-year-old woman was injured.

Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of Russia’s Bryansk region, confirmed the Mi-8 helicopter crash in Klintsy. He said that one woman was hospitalized and five houses were damaged. Bogomaz did not specify the reason for the crash and did not comment on the Su-34 crash.

Baza writes that security services are confirming information regarding another Su-34 crash near the town of Starodub, also in the Bryansk region, as well as another downed Mi-8 helicopter. Andrey Medvedev, an employee of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, reports that a total of two Mi-8 helicopters, one Su-34, and likely another Su-25 all crashed. Baza reports that the second helicopter crashed near the village of Volkustichi.

According to Kommersant, the aircraft were part of the same group and planned to launch an attack in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region. Referencing videos posted on social media, Kommersant writes that at least one Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by a missile. The newspaper suggests that the aircraft were likely ambushed.

Baza reports that nine people were killed in the crashes.

Possible explanations for the crashes

Several different explanations for the crashes appeared on Ukrainian and Russian Telegram channels. Meduza explains which scenario is the most plausible.

Mash and Baza both reported that there were “saboteurs” operating from within Russia’s Bryansk region. The Telegram channel Readovka wrote that the “saboteurs” could have launched missiles from man-portable air defense systems. However, this is unlikely, since one video shows a missile that is much larger in size than a portable missile. A photo of the downed helicopter’s propeller blade also shows traces of large submunition, which are not found on portable missiles.

Several Ukrainian Telegram channels reported that the aircraft were shot down by “friendly fire” by Russian air defense. However, it seems unlikely that Russian air defense would be unable to identify any of the four military aircraft flying over the Bryansk region.

Another possible scenario is that Ukrainian air defenses shot down the aircraft. The distance from the Ukraine-Russia border to the furthest crash site in Volkustichi is 50 kilometers (31 miles). This would mean that the air defense system would have to be stationed as close to the border as possible. It’s unlikely that the Ukrainian military would risk stationing valuable and scarce air defense equipment near the border where they could be easily detected.

Russian pro-war Telegram channel Rybar wrote that the Russian military aircraft could have been hit by planes at air fields in Ukraine’s Myrhorod and Poltava regions. While Ukraine’s air force is not known to possess missiles able to reach targets at such long distances, the Telegram channel suggests that Ukraine could have received an undeclared delivery of U.S. medium-range missiles, together with the recent delivery of Polish MiG-29 fighter jets.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the crashes in the Bryansk region. Ukrainian officials have also not yet released any statements. So far, the only government official that has made any comments is Alexander Bogomaz, who confirmed the helicopter crash at Klintsy, but did not comment on the cause of the crash or any of the three other aircraft.