An unintentional release of an aerial bomb has been identified by the Russian Defense Ministry as the cause of an explosion in Belgorod. The incident occurred at around 10:15pm Moscow time as an Su-34 of the Russian Air Force was flying over the area, resulting in a massive crater in a residential zone and the destruction of various vehicles, but no injuries.
The Russian military has initiated an investigation into the incident. CCTV footage shows an unidentified projectile hitting the ground and detonating a few moments later, causing a fountain of dirt and pavement pieces to fly into the air.
Although speculation on social media suggested that Ukraine had targeted Belgorod’s power supply with another drone, the local authorities did not attribute the attack.
The city and region of Belgorod, located just 25km from the Ukraine border, have been the target of Ukrainian artillery, drones, and missiles since February 2022.
Russian airstrikes against Ukrainian targets have increased in recent weeks, utilizing specially modified FAB-500 glide bombs dropped from strike aircraft such as the Su-34. Earlier on Thursday, the regional Governor reported 30 civilian deaths and 120 injuries resulting from Ukrainian attacks.
