Massive Explosion Rocks Russian Border City After Jet’s Accidental Bomb Release

Typically over the past many months headlines have featured stories of sporadic cross-border Ukrainian drone or rocket attacks that have impacted the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border.

But Kremlin authorities have revealed a disaster of a very different sort that occurred on Thursday when a Russian fighter jet lost its weapons payload over the city. The resultant massive explosion injured two women, and left a roughly 65-foot crater in the middle of a city street. 

Apparently one or more missiles was inadvertently dropped from the aircraft. “During the flight of the Su-34 aircraft of the aerospace forces over the city of Belgorod, an abnormal descent of aviation ammunition has occurred,” the defense ministry said.

Russian military aircraft regularly fly over Belgorod while conducting missions across the border in Ukraine during the offensive which has stretched for well over a year.

As cited in the AFP, “Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the region of Belgorod, said the blast had sent a shock wave that damaged four apartments and four cars and downed power line poles.”

One of the civilians injured was hospitalized while another was treated at the scene.

The last major Ukrainian attack on Belgorod occurred in March, along with other border incursions and attacks. At the time, Russia said its defense measures intercepted at least three inbound Ukrainian rockets. 

⚡️russian media published a video of an aerial bomb falling from an aircraft of the russian Air Force in Belgorod, as a result of which a huge crater was formed.

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— FLASH (@Flash_news_ua) April 21, 2023

But during the major March attack, some projectiles made it through anti-air defenses, resulting in civilians being wounded. The Russian city of some 400,000 people lies a mere 25 miles from the Ukrainian border. Drone attacks on power substations have also occurred throughout the course of the war.