Russia says no survivors in military cargo plane crash during test flight

A Russian military transport aircraft crashed on Tuesday during a test flight east of Moscow, leaving no survivors, authorities have confirmed.

The Investigative Committee reported that the AN-22 aircraft went down near the village of Ivankovo in the Ivanovo region on 9 December 2025. The area lies approximately 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the Russian capital.

“All crew members onboard were killed,” the committee said, without specifying the number of people on the flight. Earlier in the day, the state-run news agency TASS reported that seven crew members were on board the aircraft.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the flight took place after the aircraft had undergone repair work. Emergency units and search teams have been deployed to the crash site, and a formal investigation into the cause of the accident has already begun.

Although Russia continues to wage its nearly four-year war in Ukraine, there was no indication that Tuesday’s incident was linked to the conflict or involved any hostile actions.

The Kommersant business daily reported, citing anonymous sources, that the crash was likely caused by a technical malfunction. The AN-22 model involved had been in service for more than 50 years.

Accidents involving Russian military aircraft and equipment have become more common since the start of the war due to increased operational tempo and the ageing state of much of the country’s military hardware.

Source: The Moscow Times