Kathrine Frich
A strike intended for Ukraine has instead devastated a Russian border community, according to early reports from local and military-monitoring outlets.
The blast sent a large column of smoke into the air and left extensive structural damage across a Belgorod region village.
Authorities are assessing the scale of the destruction as images spread widely online.
Misfired strike
The specialist outlet Militarnyi reported that three public buildings, eight apartment blocks and 33 private houses were damaged.
Initial assessments suggest the destruction was not caused by Ukrainian forces.
According to the report, a Russian airborne bomb detonated inside Russian territory after being released too early.
The incident occurred in a village near the Ukrainian border, an area periodically targeted by Moscow’s own air operations.
Images circulating on social media showed a wide plume of smoke rising from the blast zone.
Drone activity nearby
The misfire happened as several drones from Ukraine were reportedly attempting to strike the region’s hydroelectric power plant.
Analysts say the overlapping activity may have contributed to confusion among Russian pilots and air-defence operators.
Militarnyi noted that this type of accident has become increasingly common along the border.
Not the first time
The outlet recalled that in 2024 Russian forces accidentally dropped an estimated 159 aircraft bombs on Russian territory or on occupied areas.
The trend continued into 2025, with multiple similar cases reported between January and March.
These incidents typically occur during high-tempo bombing runs, when crews release munitions before crossing into Ukrainian airspace.
Russian officials have not publicly commented on the latest blast.
