A Russian warplane dropped a bomb on the city of Belgorod, Russia, leaving a 130-foot-wide crater and damaging buildings. The incident occurred late on April 20, when a Russian Su-34 aircraft released the munition over the city, located 24.8 miles north of the border with Ukraine. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, it was an "emergency release of an air ordnance."
Damage and Casualties
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, reported that the emergency release occurred at an intersection of one of the central streets, resulting in a massive impact crater with a 20-meter radius. An overturned car landed on the roof of a store, and several apartment buildings were damaged in the blast, according to Belgorod Mayor Valentin Demidov. Two people were also injured in the explosion.
Su-34 Aircraft
The Su-34 aircraft is a twin-engine fighter-bomber that can carry a variety of munitions, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as guided and unguided bombs. Russian state media boasted about the country’s Su-34 warplanes last December when it said a new batch of frontline bombers had been delivered to Russian forces to use against Ukraine.
Belgorod Region and Ukraine Conflict
The Belgorod region has been the scene of several explosions and bombings since Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this week, a village in the region, on the border with Ukraine, was struck by Kyiv’s forces, according to Gladkov. Local media reported that two drones dropped small bombs at the local thermal power plants, citing an anonymous source. Ukraine would not confirm its involvement in that incident.
The bombing of Belgorod by a Russian warplane resulted in damage to buildings and injury to two people. The incident is part of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has resulted in several explosions and bombings in the Belgorod region. The Su-34 aircraft used in the bombing can carry a range of munitions, and the Russian government has previously boasted about the aircraft's capabilities.
