Photo: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/
On October 17, a supersonic Su-34 crashed into the yard of a residential complex in Yeisk while climbing at a training flight . The pilots ejected from the aircraft.
The combat plane crashed into the yard of an apartment complex on Kommunisticheskaya and Krasnaya Streets, burning fuel. The building located at 20/1 Kommunisticheskaya Street was engulfed in flames in the blink of an eye. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Krasnodar Territory, the area of the fire amounted to 2,000 square meters. As a result of the disaster, 14 people were killed, including three children. There were 19 victims, including five children, and three more victims are in intensive care.
According to the headquarters of the MES, about 600 people are living in the affected house. People have been evacuated. The authorities placed them in sanatoriums and resorts. It was decided to cancel the evacuation of nearby residents because the burning wreckage of the plane was extinguished and the fire was localized.
Specialists from the burn units and ambulance arrived promptly from Krasnodar to Yeisk. Air ambulance flew the injured to hospitals, where additional beds were prepared for them.
According to the Governor of Krasnodar Territory Veniamin Kondratiev, an emergency situation was declared at the site of the downing of the Su-34. The Main Military Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia instituted criminal proceedings under Article 351 of the Criminal Code (violation of flight rules or preparation for them).
At present, the pilots, who ejected right before coming into contact with the ground, as well as the airfield's personnel, are being interrogated. Also fuel samples and all relevant documentation were seized. An examination of the data from the flight recorders taken from the crash site has been scheduled.
The Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev and Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko immediately flew to Yeisk on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Krasnodar authorities have already reported that the families of the victims will be paid compensation of one million rubles, and 400,000 rubles ($6,504) to the families of the victims.
Unfortunately, such tragic cases cannot be avoided at all. Sometimes machinery fails, but most of all, the catastrophes occur due to the human factor. Thus on February 24, 2022, the An-26 airplane which was transporting military material on a routine flight crashed in the Voronezh Region.
The crew died, but no casualties or damage occurred on the ground. On April 8, a MiG-31 fighter-interceptor also crashed during a routine training flight in the Leningrad Region. The crew managed to eject. On June 17th of this year, an Su-25 fighter jet fighter plane crashed while performing a routine training flight in Belgorod region. The pilot also managed to eject, after which he was evacuated to his home airfield. On March 23, 2021, a long-range Tu-22M3 bomber suddenly catapulted to the ground at a military airfield near Kaluga. The crew of three died.