Unintended bombing: Russian warplane strikes own city by mistake

The resulting explosion created a massive crater measuring 20m (60ft) in diameter and was so powerful that it threw a car onto the roof of a nearby store.

The regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has stated that as a precautionary measure, the authorities have instructed the residents of a nine-story apartment building that sustained damage to evacuate the premises, a BBC report stated.0

Three people were injured and several buildings were damaged, he stated.

A video circulating on social media revealed the devastating impact of the explosion caused by the bomb dropped accidentally by a Russian Su-34 fighter jet.

The explosion was so powerful that it lifted a vehicle onto the roof of a nearby supermarket, while traffic was moving on Prospekt Vatutina, which is situated close to the city centre.

In a brief statement, the Russian defence ministry acknowledged that one of its Su-34 fighter bombers had inadvertently discharged aircraft ordnance at 22:15 local time (19:15 GMT) on Thursday, but it did not specify which weapon was involved.

The bomb landed at a crossroads near residential buildings and not far from the city centre. According to the governor, two women were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The incident could have had far more severe consequences since a Russian bomber struck a bustling residential district.

CCTV footage of the incident indicates that local residents were fortunate to escape unharmed.

The footage depicts several cars crossing an intersection before an object drops to the ground nearby. No explosion occurs immediately.

About 18 seconds later, the ordnance detonates, creating an explosion that destroys a section of the road, catches one of the cars in its path, and launches a parked car into the air before it lands on the roof of a supermarket.

Although the incident is embarrassing for the Russian military, their acknowledgement of an accident implies that they do not anticipate a negative impact on public opinion regarding what the Kremlin still refers to as its "special military operation."

In times of war and conflict, accidents can happen, sometimes with catastrophic consequences.

In October of last year, a Sukhoi fighter jet, also a Su-34, crashed in the Russian city of Yeysk, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 individuals.

The military has initiated an investigation into the incident, according to reports. Moskovsky Komsomolets, a pro-government news website, cited a former military pilot as saying that "while the findings of the investigation are unlikely to be disclosed publicly, lessons will be learned."

By morning, maintenance staff had begun repairing the busy intersection in Belgorod.

The mayor stated BBC that much of the repair work would take place over the weekend, and the road would be resurfaced on Monday. Although Belgorod's residents had a difficult night, according to the regional governor, they will persevere.

Russian jets regularly fly over Belgorod, a city with a population of 370,000, en route to Ukraine.

It is located just north of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, and has been subjected to intermittent Ukrainian attacks since last year's full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.