On July 28, an explosion rocked the center of Taganrog, Russia, resulting in severe damage to several buildings and injuries to people. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the incident occurred due to the falling debris of a Russian surface-to-air missile. The nature of the destruction leaves no doubt that it indeed resulted from the impact of air defense remnants. Had it been a guided or ballistic missile in a densely populated area, there would have been mass casualties and building destruction. Russia has started extensively using outdated Soviet weaponry that should have been disposed of long ago. Their use within populated areas is a deliberate crime by the Russian Ministry of Defense against its own citizens.
The falling debris from Russian surface-to-air missiles is not the first occurrence of Russian weapons being used in Russian or Russia-controlled cities. For instance, on April 20 of this year, there was a powerful explosion in Belgorod, Russia, creating a massive crater in the middle of a street. This happened due to the falling of an aerial bomb launched towards Ukraine (possibly to Kharkiv) due to its proximity to the state border. The Russian army not only recklessly employs outdated aerial bombs but also launches them over cities with hundreds of thousands of residents. Experienced Russian military personnel were largely depleted on the frontline last year, and much of the relatively new weaponry was also lost. Therefore, Russia relies on Soviet-era stocks manufactured in the 1950s and 1960s, operated by hastily trained soldiers. The technological shortcomings of such weapons can lead to tragedies, as seen when a modified Soviet FAB-50M62 aerial bomb, fitted with a guidance and control module, exploded in Donetsk, Russia-controlled territory, on March 12 this year. The control module was found 500 meters from the detonation site. The Russian Ministry of Defense knowingly commits crimes by deploying rockets and aerial bombs that should have been disposed of long ago, and they launch them over populated areas.
The explosion in Taganrog is evidence of the Russian authorities' complete indifference to the safety of their own people. The Russian principle of "women will give birth again" is still alive, but amid the rapid decline in Russia's population due to casualties on the frontline and emigration abroad, Putin should reconsider using Russian weapons to kill Russians. While Kremlin propaganda will likely blame Ukraine, it is the easiest option compared to admitting that Russia, positioning itself as the "world's second army," lacks an effective air defense system.
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