Russia has inadvertently unleashed a 500kg bomb on its own soil damaging 30 houses and 10 cars, leaving five people injured.
The Defence Intelligence Update revealed that a Russian fighter jet “accidentally released a FAB-500 munition on a civilian area in Belgorod on May 4” – squarely within Russian borders.
Following the incident, regional governor Vyachaslav Gladkov reported that Razdobarkina Street in Belgorod had suffered damage due to an explosion, yet he declined to specify the suspected cause of the blast.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) highlighted the extensive destruction caused by the munition’s power.
The MoD further noted: “This is not an isolated incident. On February 18, a FAB-250 was reportedly released on Soloti in the Belgorod area which led to the evacuation of 150 residents.
“Media outlets suggest that such discharges are fairly common with 20 lost munitions accidentally dropped in the Belgorod region alone between March and April 2024.
“These incidences indicate Russia‘s continued inability to successfully employ their munitions on intended targets.
“Such errors have destructive and lethal consequences for the Russian population.”
It comes as a Russian rifle battalion has refused to fight in Ukraine as their colleagues prepare to launch an attack on Kharkiv.
However, a member of Atesh, a Ukrainian military partisan movement in the occupied territories, said that enemy soldiers refused to take part in the offensive, according to reports.
The Kyiv Independent cites a source within the unit who claimed some Russian soldiers outright refused to follow their commander’s orders.
They added: “In view of this, when … the order was given, part of the unit refused to carry out the criminal will of the command.”