Media: Russian aircraft accidentally dropped two more bombs on Russia’s Belgorod Oblast

The Russian Telegram channel Astra reports that two more aerial bombs were accidentally discharged from Russian aircraft onto Russia's Belgorod Oblast, bringing the total to 14 such incidents in the region over the past two weeks. The bombs, identified as two 500-kilogram FAB-500s, were found 2 kilometers from the village of Kryukovo on 30 March, as per Astra. As Russian aerial strikes intensify, there is a growing number of reports detailing accidental discharge incidents involving bombs and missiles due to malfunctions. Astra says that over the past 2 weeks, there have been reports of 14 bomb accidental drops in the region of Belgorod:

• On 20 March, it became known about the discharged FABs in the villages of Vvedenskaya Gotnya and Zamostye.
• On 21 March, two FAB-500s were discovered in the area of the village of Antonovka, Grayvoron urban district, and in the Borisovsky district, in the area of the village of Kryukovo.
• On 22 March, two FAB-250s were found in the area of the village of Shalaevo, Valuyky urban district, and 5 kilometers from the village of Kazinka in the same district.
• On 25 March, an FAB-50 was found in the area of the village of Smorodino, Yakovlevka urban district. On the same day, an FAB-250 was found in the area of the village of Zyabino, Borisovka district.
• An FAB-500 was discovered in the area of the village of Bessonovka on 27 March.

• An FAB-250 was found in the area of the village of Bezymeno on the morning of 28 March, according to ASTRA sources. Over 140 residents of the village were evacuated. By evening, the bomb was removed and destroyed. On the same day, an FAB-500 was found in the village of Nechaevka.
• On 28 March, a guided aerial bomb weighing 1.5 tons in TNT equivalent was discovered between the villages of Bessonovka and Veselaya Lopan in the Belgorod region, which was accidentally dropped by a Russian bomber. Due to the discovery of the KAB-1500, the road between the villages was closed.
• Two FAB-500s were found 2 kilometers from the village of Kryukovo on 30 March.

Previous accidental bombings

In January, the British Defense Ministry wrote:

"Russia’s continued propensity for munition accidents is likely exacerbated by inadequate training and crew fatigue, leading to poor execution of tactics during missions."

The Ministry listed three cases of accidental discharge of aerial munitions by Russian aircraft, known at the time:

• On 2 January 2024, an aircraft discharged a munition, damaging nine residential properties in Petropavlovka, Voronezh Oblast.
• On 8 January 2024, a FAB-250 unguided munition was discharged over the village of Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine, confirmed by the pro-Russian head of the Luhansk People’s Republic during a combat sortie.
• Previously, on 20 April 2023, a Russian Su-34 aircraft experienced an “abnormal discharge of aviation ammunition” over Belgorod city in Russia.

Later in January, referring to the Astra Telegram channel, the UK Defense Ministry reported another case of accidental discharge, saying that on 27 January 2024, Russian aircraft had accidentally discharged two FAB-250 unguided munitions on two Russian villages in the Belgorod area. According to the ministry, it was the fourth such case in 2024 at the time.

"The increasing frequency of these occurrences likely demonstrates a degree of air and ground crew fatigue within the Russian front line, as well as exposing inadequate training.," the UK Defense Ministry noted.

Read also:

• UK intel: Russia’s accidental bombings point to deeper issues within Russia’s air forces
• Russia bombed occupied Rubizhne in Luhansk Oblast
• UK intel: Aircrew fatigue, poor training behind Russia’s repeated bombing blunders