Russia Accidentally Bombs Its Own Villages – For The 39th Time

Over the past year, there have been numerous reports of incidents where Russian aircraft accidentally dropped bombs and missiles on civilian areas within Russia, particularly in the border region of Belgorod near the besieged Ukrainian territory of Kharkiv. They have targeted their own land 39 times this year.

The most recent incident occurred earlier this month when a Russian 1,100-lb FAB-500 bomb purportedly fell on a civilian area in Belgorod, which damaged 30 houses and injured five people. In April, a Russian Kh-59 missile was reported to have inexplicably crashed in the center of Belgorod city, though fortunately without any casualties.

Similar occurrences were also documented in January when two FAB-250 bombs struck the Belgorod region after they were inadvertently released from Russian aircraft, which prompted the evacuation of around 150 residents. Astra, an independent Russian Telegram channel, has reported that “at least 21 aerial bombs” have been accidentally dropped by Russian forces on Russian or Russian-occupied territory between March and April 2024 alone.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has highlighted these incidents as examples of “Russia’s continued inability to successfully employ their munitions on intended targets.”

These incidents coincide with Russia’s recent offensive operation in the Kharkiv region, which the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, has characterized as having “limited operational objectives” but aiming “to achieve the strategic effect of drawing Ukrainian manpower and materiel from other critical sectors of the front in eastern Ukraine.”

As the conflict in Ukraine continues to evolve, the pattern of Russian aircraft accidentally striking civilian areas within Russia itself raises significant concerns about the proficiency and discipline of the Russian military’s air operations. The human impact of these errors, coupled with the broader strategic implications, underscores the need for a thorough investigation and corrective measures to prevent further such incidents.

The accident may be a result of increased pressure from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has made outlandish demands in recent months including asking Russian women to have eight babies or more.

Rumors about Putin’s ill health have been rampant for years and have accelerated in recent months.