Live video captured the moment one of Vladimir Putin's $280 million Russian nuclear bombers crashed into the ground, sparking a blaze around it after a Ukrainian missile struck it down.
Footage showed the sudden downfall of a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber as it crashed over the Stavropol region in southern Russia.
The Ukrainian military took responsibility for the hit, explaining that it had used anti-aircraft missiles to bring down the plane.
One of the four crew members has reportedly died, while another remains missing.
In recent months, Ukraine has dealt significant damage to Putin's air force, allegedly destroying jets 20 times faster than Russia can replace them, according to the Daily Mail.
The Russian defense ministry suggested that a 'technical malfunction' likely caused the downing of the plane. They also admitted the aircraft was returning from a bombing mission over Ukraine.
Ukraine, however, claimed that its air force, in collaboration with Ukrainian intelligence, was responsible for shooting down the plane.
"For the first time, anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber, a carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles used by Russian terrorists to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities," Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement.
