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Defence ministry confirms Su-24 crash

Plane did not carry weapons or ammunition and its crash did not cause any damage on the ground

MOSCOW, October 30 (Itar-Tass) — The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed that a Su-24 bomber has crashed in the Chelyabinsk region.

"Today, a Su-24 met with an accident during a flight before scheduled repairs. The accident occurred 67 kilometers southeast of the Shagol airfield," the press service of the Defence Ministry told Itar-Tass.

"The crew of two have ejected. The plane fell far from settlements. At 13:21, Moscow time, the crew reported the accident," a military official said.

The plane did not carry weapons or ammunition and its crash did not cause any damage on the ground.

"A commission will visit the crash site to ascertain the cause," according to the Ministry.

The Su-24M bomber was added to the Air Force's arsenal in 1985. Its maximum takeoff mass is 40 tons and maximum speed is 2,300 km/h. It has a range of 4,300 kilometers and a maximum altitude of 17,500 meters. It can carry eight tons of ammunition.