Media: Russian airstrikes in 2025 see 129 bombs released, some landing domestically

Since the beginning of 2025, Russian bombers have dropped at least 129 aerial bombs on Russian regions and temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, ASTRA Telegram channel has confirmed.

The latest incident involved another FAB-500 bomb “abnormally landing” in a field in the village of Zadelnoye, located in the Yakovlevsky district of Russia’s Belgorod Region, according to ASTRA sources in the regional emergency services. The bomb did not explode, and there were no casualties reported.

ASTRA’s investigation indicates that since January 2025, at least 129 bombs—122 FABs and 7 UPCMs—along with three missiles, have fallen from Russian aircraft in Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories. By comparison, at least 165 FAB bombs were reported to have fallen in the same areas throughout 2024.

To counter Ukrainian air defences, the Russian military has reportedly been upgrading Soviet-era FAB bombs with UPCM complexes. This modification equips the bombs with wings and satellite guidance, allowing them to be launched directly from Russian territory. However, due to system imperfections, the bombs do not always reach their intended targets and sometimes fall on Russian soil.

Russian authorities have reportedly attempted to conceal such incidents, often attributing civilian casualties caused by misfired Russian bombs to attacks by Ukrainian forces.

By Tamilla Hasanova