Russia passenger jet crashes near Moscow during test flight

A Russian passenger plane has crashed near Moscow, Russia’s emergencies ministry says.

It says the Sukhoi Superjet 100 went down in a forest, and all three crew members are believed to have been killed. There were no passengers on board.

Russia’s state-run media report that the plane went down during a test flight following repair works.

Russia’s has been developing the Sukhoi Superjet – a regional jet – for some time to replace Western-made aircraft.

Heavily sanctioned over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has struggled to replace its ageing aircraft fleet.