End of an Era: Russian Military An-22 'Antey' Crashes in Ivanovo, Killing Crew
- Sky Vault Aviation
- Dec 10, 2025
- 5 min read
In a devastating blow to Russia’s aging military transport fleet, one of the world’s last operational Antonov An-22 "Antey" heavy transport aircraft has crashed in the Ivanovo region, northeast of Moscow. The incident, which occurred yesterday, December 9, 2025, has resulted in the loss of all seven crew members on board and marks a tragic, potential final chapter for the legendary Soviet-era turboprop giant.
The Incident: What We Know So Far
According to confirmed reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Investigative Committee of Russia, the catastrophe took place during a scheduled test flight. The aircraft, a massive turboprop designated by NATO as "Cock," had just undergone repairs and was taking to the skies to verify its airworthiness.
The crash site was located near the village of Ivankovo in the Furmanovsky district of the Ivanovo region, approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Moscow. Eyewitnesses on the ground reported seeing the colossal aircraft struggling in the air before it reportedly broke apart or lost control, plummeting into the vicinity of the Uvodskoye Reservoir.
"The plane went down in an uninhabited area during a test flight following repair work... All crew members onboard were killed." — Statement by the Russian Investigative Committee
Video footage circulating on Telegram channels and social media appears to show salvage teams already working in the icy waters of the reservoir, recovering debris from the fuselage. The sight of the twisted metal in the snow-covered landscape serves as a grim testament to the violence of the impact.
Casualties and Search Efforts
While initial confusion surrounded the number of souls on board, Russian state media agency TASS and defense officials have now confirmed that the aircraft was carrying a crew of seven. Tragically, authorities have stated there were no survivors.
Search and rescue teams were deployed immediately following the crash. Emergency responders, including divers and aviation specialists, have been scouring the reservoir and the surrounding snowy terrain. The flight recorders ("black boxes") will be crucial in determining the exact sequence of events that led to the disaster, though early indications point to a technical malfunction rather than pilot error or external interference.
The "Flying Dinosaur": A Retrospective on the An-22
To understand the weight of this loss, one must understand the aircraft involved. The Antonov An-22 Antey (named after the giant Antaeus from Greek mythology) is not just another plane; it is a piece of aviation history.
A Soviet Engineering Marvel
First flown in 1965, the An-22 was the world's first wide-body transport aircraft. For over half a century, it held the title of the largest turboprop-powered aircraft in the world. It was powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12MA engines—the most powerful turboprop engines ever built—each driving massive contra-rotating propellers that gave the aircraft its distinctive, thunderous acoustic signature.
Key Specifications of the An-22:
Role: Strategic Heavy Military Transport
Max Takeoff Weight: ~250 tons
Payload Capacity: 80 tons
Engines: 4 × Kuznetsov NK-12MA turboprops (15,000 hp each)
Range: 5,000 km with maximum payload
capabilities: Capable of landing on unpaved, snowy, or rough airstrips (STOL capabilities).
The An-22 was designed to carry Soviet tanks, ballistic missiles, and heavy infrastructure to the remotest corners of the USSR, from the frozen Arctic to the deserts of Central Asia. It paved the way for the jet-powered An-124 Ruslan and the colossal An-225 Mriya.
The Last of its Kind
Prior to this crash, the An-22 fleet had been dwindling rapidly. By late 2024, it was reported that only a handful of airframes remained in existence, with perhaps only one or two in flyable condition with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). The aircraft involved in the December 9th crash was likely the very last active military An-22 in Russia. Its loss effectively signals the extinction of the type in operational service, closing a 60-year chapter of aviation history.
Context: The Crisis in Russian Military Aviation
This crash is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern plaguing the Russian Aerospace Forces. As the war in Ukraine drags on toward its fourth year, the strain on Russia’s logistics and aviation assets has become visibly acute.
1. The "Aging Fleet" Problem
The An-22 in question was reportedly over 50 years old. Keeping such vintage aircraft airworthy requires immense resources, specialized knowledge, and spare parts that are no longer in production. The decision to keep flying a 1960s-era airframe in 2025 highlights a desperate need for heavy-lift capacity that modern production rates cannot satisfy.
2. Sanctions and Maintenance
Western sanctions have severely restricted Russia’s access to high-tech aviation components and avionics. While the An-22 is a Soviet domestic product, the specialized tools and materials needed to maintain it—or to manufacture replacements for its unique components—are scarce. The "cannibalization" of older aircraft to keep a few flying has become standard practice, inherently lowering safety margins.
3. A String of Accidents
The past 18 months have seen a spike in non-combat losses for the VKS.
Il-76 Crashes: The workhorse Il-76 fleet has suffered multiple hull losses due to engine fires and technical failures in Ivanovo and Ryazan regions over 2024 and 2025.
Tu-22M3 Incidents: The supersonic bomber fleet has also faced attrition, with crashes in Irkutsk and Stavropol linked to technical malfunctions.
Crew Fatigue: The relentless tempo of military operations places immense pressure on flight crews and ground maintenance personnel, increasing the likelihood of human error or oversight during repairs.
Strategic Implications
The loss of this An-22 is more symbolic than tactical, but the practical implications are still real. While the An-124 and Il-76 bear the brunt of modern logistics, the An-22 offered a unique niche capability—carrying outsized cargo into semi-prepared strips that jets might struggle with.
More importantly, it reveals the fragility of Russia's heavy airlift command. Every hull loss further stretches the remaining capacity. With the Il-76 production lines struggling to meet demand and the An-124 fleet facing its own maintenance challenges (as the engines were originally built in Ukraine), the disappearance of the An-22 removes a critical backup option.
Conclusion: A Tragic Finale
The crash in Ivanovo is a tragedy for the families of the seven crew members who lost their lives. It is also a somber moment for aviation enthusiasts worldwide who recognized the An-22 as a marvel of engineering—a "flying dinosaur" that outlived the empire that built it.
As investigators comb through the wreckage in the Uvodskoye Reservoir, the findings will likely reiterate a hard truth: even the sturdiest machines have a limit. For the Antey, that limit has finally been reached, leaving behind a legacy of power and a warning about the costs of pushing aging machinery too far.
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