MiG-31 fighter goes down in central Russia, crew survives

A MiG-31 fighter jet of the Russian Air Force crashed during a landing approach in the Lipetsk region on Thursday, October 9, at around 19:20 Moscow time. 

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, cited by Russian media, the aircraft was carrying out a scheduled training flight and had no weapons on board. It went down in a deserted area, where a fire broke out after impact but was quickly extinguished.

Regional media reported that the crash occurred in the Chaplyginsky district. Unofficial sources suggested that a malfunction in the landing gear release system may have caused the accident. Preliminary information indicates that the crew tried to direct the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting.

Both pilots survived, sustaining only minor injuries upon landing. They were hospitalised, and their lives are not in danger. No damage or casualties were reported on the ground.

The Defence Ministry confirmed the crash but did not specify an official cause. Investigators are considering two main versions: a possible technical failure or a landing error. Investigative authorities have begun an inquiry, and part of the aircraft’s wreckage has been recovered for examination.

The MiG-31, a long-range supersonic interceptor that has been in service since 1981, is designed to engage high-speed aerial targets and forms an integral part of Russia’s air defence system.

In recent years, several MiG-31 crashes have been recorded. In April 2022, one of the aircraft went down in the Murmansk region; in December the same year, another crashed in the Kamchatka region; and in July 2024, a similar incident occurred in the Krasnodar region. In all these cases, the crews successfully ejected.

According to official reports, most of these accidents were linked to the technical condition and ageing components of older aircraft models.

By Tamilla Hasanova