Dramatic footage has emerged showing a Russian passenger plane literally falling apart in mid-air before executing an emergency landing, in an incident that has raised serious concerns about the country's aviation safety standards.
Mid-Air Terror Over Russia's Far East
A Sukhoi Superjet 100 operated by Rossiya Airlines suffered a catastrophic failure during a routine domestic flight on November 15, 2025. The aircraft, carrying 90 passengers and five crew members from Vladivostok to Blagoveshchensk, experienced sections of its outer skin detaching while airborne.
Videos circulating online show alarming damage to the aircraft, with significant portions of the right engine's metal covering completely missing. Witnesses reported seeing parts of the plane separate during flight, according to accounts published by The Moscow Times.
Despite the terrifying mid-air disintegration, the pilots managed to safely land the damaged aircraft at Khabarovsk airport at approximately 9am local time. Remarkably, no injuries were reported among the 95 people on board.
Broader Pattern of Aviation Safety Concerns
This incident occurs against a backdrop of growing concerns about Russia's civil aviation fleet. Just weeks earlier, Dmitry Yadrov, head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, delivered a stark warning to a Federation Council committee.
Yadrov predicted that Russia could lose a third of its aircraft and 200 helicopters by 2030, highlighting the severe challenges facing the country's aviation industry. During the October 7 committee meeting, he specifically noted that "a couple of dozen" Sukhoi Superjets might be retired due to persistent engine issues.
The SSJ100 model has experienced multiple safety incidents in recent years:
- In July 2024, a Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed in a forest near Moscow, killing all three people on board
- Within one week in 2024, two Azimuth Airlines Sukhoi Superjets experienced three separate incidents
- One aircraft's engine caught fire during landing, while another failed to take off from Saransk due to engine failure
- On December 1, 2024, another jet made an emergency landing because of a fuel filter malfunction
Sanctions and Their Impact on Russian Aviation
Russia's civil aviation sector faces additional pressures beyond technical malfunctions. International sanctions have severely impacted the availability of spare parts and maintenance capabilities since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began.
The restrictions on aircraft parts and overflight permissions have created significant operational challenges for Russian airlines. Many Western manufacturers have suspended support and supply chains to Russian carriers, forcing them to seek alternative solutions that may compromise safety standards.
Russia's Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office has confirmed investigating the November 15 incident as a "technical malfunction." Metro has contacted Rossiya Airlines for official comment on the alarming incident.
This latest emergency landing raises urgent questions about the long-term viability and safety of Russia's domestic aviation fleet as international isolation continues to take its toll on maintenance capabilities and aircraft reliability.
