The crash is thought to be due to a technical malfunction. Residents of the region shared photos and videos on social media of smoke billowing over a forest. The Russian Su-34 is a Soviet-era medium-range fighter-bomber. The Ukrainian military reported shooting down multiple Su-34 jets in the spring of 2024.Plane and helicopter crashes have become more commonplace in Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent imposition of Western sanctions.Two days before the incident, a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter crashed in Kaluga Oblast in western Russia, killing those onboard. In June, another Russian Su-34 crashed in the mountainous region of North Ossetia during a training flight. There were no survivors. In both cases, investigations pointed to technical malfunctions.