Vladimir Putin‘s army unleashed its latest deadly weapon for the first time on a village in the Kharkiv region, where fierce fighting is taking place.
Russia‘s army launched a surprise attack in Ukraine‘s northeast in early May, initially making rapid progress.
However, the offensive has become bogged down amid fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces, who have recaptured territory from Putin’s army.
Ferocious battles continue to rage, with Russia throwing everything at its enemies in an attempt to make a decisive breakthrough.
In recent days, the Russian army dropped a gigantic three-ton bomb known as the FAB-3000 on a building block in the village of Lyptsi.
Video footage of the strike shows the enormous destructive power of the new bomb, which was reportedly being deployed for the first time.
A massive explosion can be seen producing an enormous mushroom cloud of flames and black smoke which smothers the building.
Images afterwards reveal the building sustained massive damages from the attack and was reduced to a shell of its former self.
The bomb fell about ten metres from the building but had a lethal radius of 230 metres.
A Russian military blogger wrote: “This is the first combat use in the history of mankind of a bomb of this calibre with a UMPK (Unified gliding and correction module).”
The FAB 3000 is a so-called glide bomb, which Russia has been using to deadly effect in recent months.
It is essentially made by adding fold-out wings and satellite navigation to old Soviet bombs – supplies of which are in abundance.
Previous versions include the FAB 500 and the FAB 1500, which can carry up to 500 kilograms of explosives and leave craters about 20m wide and 6m deep.
The bombs have inflicted enormous damage on Ukraine‘s frontline positions and troops, helping Putin’s army to make territorial gains.
A recent report by the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) said they were decisive in February’s capture of the once heavily fortified key eastern town of Avdiivka.
The pop-out wings allow the bombs to glide 50 to 70 kilometres through the air at high speeds, meaning Russian jets can launch them while they are out of range of Ukrainian air defence systems.