The Antey disintegrated in mid-air.
On December 9, the military investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case in connection with the crash of the An-22 Antey military transport aircraft. It is believed that the veteran of the Soviet, and later Russian, aviation industry crashed due to a technical malfunction. According to eyewitnesses, the transport aircraft began to disintegrate in mid-air, and then its wreckage fell into a reservoir in the Ivanovo region.
The crash occurred around 12:00 p.m. According to eyewitnesses, the An-22 suddenly began to disintegrate in mid-air, and its fuselage fragments fell into the Uvodskoye Reservoir near the village of Ivankovo. Kommersant's sources reported that the flight was conducted following routine maintenance, that the aircraft had been in service for over 50 years, and that it most likely crashed due to a technical malfunction. There were seven people on board (five crew members and two passengers), all of whom died. There were no casualties or damage on the ground. Divers will recover the bodies, as well as the Antey's flight recorders.
In the meantime, the Aerospace Forces of the Ministry of Defense has established a commission to investigate the circumstances of the accident, and military investigative bodies have opened a criminal case under Article 351 of the Criminal Code (violation of flight regulations or preparation for them). Investigators are inspecting the crash site, seizing documentation related to the aircraft's operation and repair, as well as fuel samples, which will be sent for analysis.
Meanwhile, Kommersant's sources in the military department reported that the crashed aircraft was the last An-22 in service in Russia. The An-22 was decommissioned in 2024.