The Russian army has dropped a powerful FAB 3000 aerial bomb on a dam within its own borders in a frantic effort to stop Ukrainian forces. The explosion, which rocked the Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border, was captured on video and widely shared on the Telegram app. The target was a hydraulic structure near Popovka, just 800 feet inside Russian territory, as Moscow scrambles to prevent further Ukrainian incursions.
This bizarre act of self-sabotage follows a series of humiliating Ukrainian operations within Russian territory. Just months after a daring assault on the Kursk region last August, Ukrainian forces have once again struck deep into Russian-held areas, forcing the Kremlin into desperate measures. Belgorod and Kursk have been key targets of Ukrainian raids, exposing Russia’s inability to secure its own borders despite years of aggression against its neighbour.
The strike on the dam appears to have been a last-ditch attempt to create obstacles for advancing Ukrainian forces. However, the move also suggests panic within Russia’s military ranks. Rather than pushing back Ukraine, Moscow is now literally destroying its own land in an effort to slow down an enemy that has already shown it can strike at will. Russian officials have remained tight-lipped about the incident, offering no official explanation, but military analysts note that the destruction of a key dam so close to Russian villages is unlikely to have been an accident.
The decision to bomb the dam underscores the growing chaos in Putin’s war effort. Faced with mounting losses, low morale, and continued battlefield embarrassments, the Kremlin appears to be running out of options. While Russia boasts about military superiority, the reality on the ground is one of desperation and self-inflicted damage.
For months, Ukrainian forces have carried out successful operations within Russian territory, forcing Moscow to divert resources and rethink its strategies.
The bombing of its own dam is the latest example of a regime that is failing not just in Ukraine but even within its own borders.
