Another aerial bomb incident reported in western Russia

A Russian FAB-500 aerial bomb fell in the Belgorod region on April 1 after what was described as an abnormal release, according to ASTRA.

The incident reportedly occurred in the settlement of Krasnaya Yaruga, where the bomb landed on a private residential plot. Residents of nearby streets were evacuated as a precaution, and no injuries were reported.

ASTRA data indicates that at least 15 Russian FAB-series bombs have fallen in 2026 on Russian territory and in areas of Ukraine under Russian control. The outlet previously reported that at least 143 such bombs fell in 2025 and at least 165 in 2024.

According to earlier reporting by ASTRA, the Russian military has been modifying Soviet-era FAB bombs with UMPK guidance kits to improve their effectiveness against Ukrainian air defences. These upgrades add wings and satellite navigation systems, enabling the bombs to be launched from within Russian territory. However, technical limitations mean that some bombs fail to reach their intended targets and instead fall in unintended locations.

In January 2026, the pro-military channel Fighterbomber, which is associated with the Russian Aerospace Forces, acknowledged that such incidents occur regularly within Belgorod. The channel also offered its own explanations for the repeated failures.

By Tamilla Hasanova