Suspected SECOND unexploded bomb dropped by Russian warplane prompts evacuation of 3,000 residents
More than 3,000 Russian citizens were evacuated following the discovery of an unexploded bomb – believed to have been dropped by one of Vladimir Putin’s own fighter jets – after a second exploded in a massive explosion earlier this week.
Residents of 17 apartment buildings in Belgorod, just across the border from Ukraine, were evacuated after a 500 kg explosive was found within 200 meters of their buildings.
The major blunder follows a bomb that goes off in the city after being accidentally dropped by a Su-34 Russian fighter-bomber, causing a powerful blast that injured several people.
The new bomb is believed to be of the same type as the first – a Soviet-designed FAB-500M62 with a high-explosive warhead – capable of total devastation and was undoubtedly destined for Ukraine.
The embarrassing admission comes as Moscow has stepped up its diplomatic battle with the west, with more than 20 German officials furiously expelled by the Kremlin in what it called a “mutual” move.
More than 3,000 Russian citizens have been evacuated following the discovery of an unexploded bomb – believed to have been dropped by one of Vladimir Putin’s own fighter jets
Traffic jams in the Russian city of Belgorod as 3,000 residents were evacuated today
The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, shows the location of the crater after an explosion on Thursday
Kiev’s armed forces have released images showing smoke over the nearly razed city of Bakhmut
The most recent embarrassment for Russia was that sappers discovered a bomb on their own territory, buried about 7 meters below the surface and posing an acute danger to the local population in Belgorod.
The evacuees lived in the same area as those affected by Thursday’s massive blast, which left a 22-meter-high crater in the middle of the road and damaged homes and roads.
Military explosives experts decided to “neutralize” the explosive at a training ground, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.
The operational headquarters decided to evacuate 17 apartment buildings within a radius of 200 meters. According to preliminary data, more than 3,000 people are involved. Anyone who needs help with temporary housing will be provided,” he said.
Gladkov later said people began returning to their homes after a “grenade” was removed from the area.
Belgorod mayor Valentin Demidov said precautionary evacuations ended later in the day.
βThe bomb was removed from the residential area. Residents are being returned to their homes,” Demidov wrote on Telegram.
Russian authorities did not say whether the detonated device fell accidentally on Thursday and, if so, whether it was a remnant of or separate from the bomb that exploded in the city.
“The bomb was found near the place where the explosion occurred on April 20 due to the descent of Su-34 ammunition,” said anti-war group Protest Russia.
“It turns out that for just two days no one noticed that the Su-34 had lost two bombs, not one.”
A photo shared by the governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov’s telegram channel shows damage at the site of an explosion in the center of Belgorod
A Russian SU-34 fighter jet bombed its own city of Belgorod on April 20, 2023, a humiliating blunder
The evacuees lived in the same area as those affected by Thursday’s massive blast, which left a 22-meter-high crater in the middle of the road and damaged homes, including this apartment
Belgorod, about 40 kilometers east of the Russian-Ukrainian border, has seen regular drone strikes since Russia sent troops into Ukraine last year.
Russian authorities have attributed the attacks to the Ukrainian military, which declined to directly claim responsibility for the attacks.
Meanwhile, the bloody battle for Bakhmut – just a few hours’ drive from Belgorod – rages on, with Kiev troops releasing images of smoke rising over the nearly razed city.
Putin’s forces, believed to be Wagner’s mercenaries, today claimed they have captured three districts in the main Ukrainian city, which has been the epicenter of fighting in recent months.
“The airborne forces restrained the Ukrainian units on the flanks and supported the actions of the assault units to take the city,” the Russian defense ministry said in its latest bulletin.
Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent support for Kiev’s armed forces by Germany, Britain and other Western powers have put relations in a deep freeze, with frequent expulsions of diplomats on both sides.
Ukrainian soldiers fire targets on the frontline towards the town of Ugledar, Donetsk
A Ukrainian soldier walks near residential buildings damaged by a Russian military strike, amid the Russian assault on Ukraine, in the frontline city of Bakhmut
Putin’s forces today claimed they have captured three districts in the important Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Pictured: Ukrainian soldier near shelled buildings in the city
Ukrainian soldiers of the 57th Brigade fire a mortar in the direction of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast
Kiev is reportedly preparing for another attack on Russian positions using new equipment supplied by the UK and other allies, including Challenger 2, M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 main battle tanks, Stryker and Bradley armored vehicles and new artillery systems.
The arsenal could be used to launch a “big bang”-style offensive that bulldozes Putin’s forces and even recaptures Crimea, military experts said. The sun online.
Former US general Ben Hodges told the news site he believes Ukraine will focus its efforts on finally retaking Crimea, which has been in Russian hands since 2014.
Developments on the battlefield come as Russia has announced the expulsion of more than 20 German diplomats, a move Moscow describes as reciprocal following the departure of some of its diplomats from Berlin.
“In response to the hostile actions of Berlin, Russia has decided to mirror the expulsion of German diplomats from Russia and to significantly limit the maximum number of employees of German diplomatic missions in our country,” the Russian news agency quoted Tass as saying. said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
A German foreign ministry official said Berlin and Moscow have been in contact in recent weeks with the aim of reducing the Russian intelligence presence in Germany.
“Today’s departure of Russian embassy staff is related to this,” the official added.
The German ministry does not want to say how many Russian diplomats have left.
Ukrainian servicemen ride in an M113 armored personnel carrier being transported on a road to the frontline town of Bakhmut
Relations between Russia and Germany, once Russia’s largest buyer of oil and gas, have deteriorated since Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine last February.
Ukraine has established diplomatic ties with Western nations as the war enters its 14th month.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted about his meetings today with counterparts from the Netherlands, New Zealand and Estonia.
He said Kiev “deepens our cooperation with Estonia and the Netherlands” and described New Zealand as “true friends” of the Ukrainian army and people.