3 Russian bomber pilots killed by ejection system glitch
Moscow, Mar 24: Three members of a Russian bomber's air crew died Tuesday when their ejection seats accidentally activated during preflight checks, the military said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the incident happened at an airbase in the Kaluga region, about 145 km (90 miles) southwest of Moscow.
It said the crew of a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber was preparing for a training mission when its ejection system malfunctioned and accidentally shot the crew out. The ministry said the altitude wasn't enough for the parachutes to open and three of the four crew members died of injuries.
Russian media reported that the victims included Col. Vadim Beloslyudtsev, the commander of the bomber unit stationed at the Shaikovka airbase near Kaluga.
Russian news reports said the fourth crew member survived the incident and was hospitalised.
An official investigation into the incident has been launched. The accidental activation of the rescue system is extremely rare, and some experts speculated that it could have been caused by an electrical malfunction or human error.
The Tu-22M3 is a supersonic twin-engine long-range bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
About 60 are estimated to remain in service with the Russian air force, and some have flown bombing missions to strike militants in Syria from their bases in Russia.
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Watch: Iranian drone strikes building in Bahrain’s Manama, Al Jazeera verifies video
Manama: A video circulating on social media showing a drone striking a building in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, has been verified by Al Jazeera, confirming its authenticity.
Earlier, the news network, citing Bahrain’s Interior Ministry, had reported that several residential buildings were targeted in the incident.
The verified footage shows an Iranian drone hitting a tower in Manama.
A loud explosion is heard at the moment of impact, followed by a large fire and thick plumes of smoke billowing from the building.
🚨 #BREAKING | Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone struck a building near the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain!
— Bricx News (@BricxNews) February 28, 2026
Retaliation for US-Israel strikes on Iran. Footage shows the direct hit in Manama.
Situation escalating fast in the Gulf...#Iran #Bahrain #USNavy #MiddleEast pic.twitter.com/VvlrRnE8R3
