Fatal Crash of Russian An-22 Antey Military Transport Plane in Ivanovo Region

December 9, 2025 – A Russian Ministry of Defense An-22 Antey heavy-lift transport aircraft has crashed in the Furmanovsky District of Ivanovo Region, northeast of Moscow, resulting in the presumed deaths of all seven crew members on board, according to Russian state media and emergency services.

The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon near the Uvodskoye Reservoir, during what reports describe as a routine post-repair test flight from Ivanovo airfield. Debris from the fuselage was scattered across the ground and spotted floating in the water, prompting an immediate response from Ministry of Emergency Situations teams, police, and military personnel. A post-impact fire was quickly extinguished, but recovery efforts are ongoing amid challenging conditions.

Russian media cited local emergency officials in confirming the tragedy. The General Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces has launched a formal investigation into the cause, which remains undetermined at this stage. Preliminary speculation points to possible technical issues with the aging Soviet-era aircraft, but no official details have been released.

The An-22 Antey, developed in the USSR during the 1960s, holds the distinction of being the world’s largest turboprop-powered aircraft. Designed for transporting oversized military cargo, such as heavy weapons and equipment, it boasts a maximum takeoff weight of over 225 tons and a range exceeding 3,000 miles.

This incident marks the second An-22 crash in the Ivanovo region within 18 months.