Putin humiliated as Russian bomber misses Ukraine target by 37 miles in military fiasco

 

Russian Warplane Accidentally Drops Bomb Inside Belgorod Region

A Russian fighter jet inadvertently released a 500-kilogram bomb over Russia’s Belgorod region, marking another instance of so-called “friendly fire.” The munition, intended for a target in Ukraine, instead landed approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) inside Russian territory.

The bomb, identified as an FAB-500, landed about two kilometers from the village of Ivica. Fortunately, it did not explode, and no injuries were reported. Russian military engineers were dispatched to safely remove and destroy the unexploded ordnance.

Such incidents are becoming increasingly frequent. Russian air force bombs have repeatedly landed either within Russia or in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Earlier in April, a bomb detonated in the village of Tsibulevka, damaging eight homes. A day prior, another bomb struck near a vehicle, seriously injuring a 36-year-old man with shrapnel.

According to the Astra media outlet, at least 70 aerial bombs have landed in Russian or Russian-controlled territory so far in 2025. In 2024, the total number of similar incidents reportedly reached 165.

In an effort to modernize its air capabilities and keep pilots out of Ukrainian airspace, Russia has been retrofitting Soviet-era FAB bombs with UMPK guidance kits. These kits are designed to improve targeting accuracy and extend strike range. However, reliability issues persist, with several bombs veering off course and striking unintended locations within Russia.

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There are also reports that the Russian military has been attempting to suppress details of these misfires and prevent the information from reaching top officials in the Kremlin.

The FAB-500 remains a weapon of choice in Russia’s bombardments of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which lies just 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border.