MOSCOW, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A Russian Su-34 fighter jet crashed in the Volgograd region in southern Russia during a scheduled training flight on Saturday, said the Russian Ministry of Defensemahifish.

The incident occurred during a routine exercise when the aircraft went down in a deserted area. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that the crew ejected themselves and survived.

The crash caused no damage on the ground as the flight was conducted without ammunition.

Preliminary findings suggested that a technical malfunction caused the crash.■