Russian bomber plane crashes in Siberia as smoke seen for miles

A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed on Monday during a training flight in Siberia's Irkutsk region, the Defense Ministry said, with the Interfax news agency noting the crew managed to eject and survived. Unverified footage circulating online shows the aircraft nose-diving into a wooded area near the Angara River, producing a large plume of smoke. Officials have not disclosed a cause or updates on the investigation, and authorities have not released information on the aircraft's status. The incident occurred in a sparsely populated wooded area near the Angara, complicating verification and recovery efforts.