By Criss
In a startling series of events that have unfolded since the beginning of 2024, Russia has reportedly dropped bombs on its own territory nearly 40 times. The Belgorod region, which lies on the border with northeastern Ukraine, has been the unintended recipient of Russian munitions on 39 separate occasions, as per reports from an independent Russian investigative outlet, The Insider.
The incidents have occurred amidst Moscow’s continued offensive in Ukraine’s northeast, particularly targeting the Kharkiv region. The Belgorod region, unfortunately, has experienced the spillover effects of this aggression. Among the munitions that have landed in Belgorod, one was identified as a Kh-59 missile, while the others were variants of Russia’s modified FAB air-launched bombs.
These developments raise concerns about the precision and control of Russia’s military operations. The U.K. government has attributed these mishaps to poor training and fatigue among Russian crews, which increases the likelihood of such incidents. The Russian defense ministry has previously acknowledged inadvertent bombings by its aircraft, including an incident in April 2023 involving an Su-34 jet that resulted in injuries to three individuals.
The conversion of the FAB series of Soviet-era bombs into guided weapons has been a significant factor in the destruction witnessed along the frontlines in Ukraine. These weapons, often equipped with pop-out wings and guidance systems, have been repurposed to glide accurately towards targets while avoiding Ukrainian air defenses.
Belgorod’s regional governor commented on recent events involving “explosive objects” in the village of Razumnoye, near Belgorod, without providing further details. Meanwhile, reports from a Russian Telegram channel with alleged links to Russia’s security services indicated that a FAB-500 bomb fell close to Belgorod, although the circumstances remain unclear.
The frequency of these incidents, including the accidental dropping of a 250-kilogram FAB bomb on a civilian area of Belgorod and a 1,500-kilogram bomb in a Russian-held village in eastern Ukraine, underscores the gravity of the situation. The Russian defense ministry has not responded to requests for comment on these reports.
As the conflict continues, the inadvertent bombings of Russian territory highlight the complexities and dangers of modern warfare, where the lines between combatants and non-combatants are increasingly blurred.
