VORONEZH. April 26 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said that a falling Russian air-to-surface missile did no damage to Kazakhstan.
"The Wednesday launch of an air-to-surface cruise missile from a TU-22M3 Backfire strategic bomber of the Russian Air Force did not cause human casualties or material damage to Kazakhstan," he told the press in Voronezh on Friday.
"During planned Air Force exercises at Akhtubinsk test range (Astrakhan region) a missile was launched from the TU-22M3 bomber at a ground target," Ivanov said. "During the flight the missile acted irregularly and departed from the planned trajectory. After the self-destruction device turned on the missile fell on the territory of Kazakhstan," he said.
He added that the missile's warhead was a dummy and did not contain explosives. "Air Force Commander Vladimir Mikhailov is looking into reasons behind the missile's departure," he said.
"Such accidents happen from time to time in armed forces of any nation," Ivanov said.
The minister is on a working tour through units of the Moscow military district. He arrived in Voronezh on Friday morning, heard reports of the 20th general army command and visited the local R&D institute of communication.