A statement said the Sukhoi-34 jet crashed "in a mountainous zone" and added that there was "no damage on the ground". It did not specify when the accident happened.

It said a technical problem appeared to have caused the crash, adding that an investigation had been launched to ascertain the reason behind the accident.

North Ossetia, which borders ex-Soviet Georgia, is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.

On June 8, regional authorities said Ukraine targeted a military airfield near the town of Mozdok with drones but three of them were shot down. It was the first such attack in North Ossetia since the special military operation launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.