A Russian Sukhoi-34 supersonic warplane accidentally fired a weapon into the city of Belgorod near Ukraine late on Thursday, causing an explosion and injuring three people. …

Tass cited the Russian defence ministry as saying that a Su-34 supersonic fighter-bomber jet had accidentally discharged a munition.

“As a Sukhoi Su-34 air force plane was flying over the city of Belgorod there was an accidental discharge of aviation ammunition,” Tass cited the defence ministry as saying.

[This raises a few questions. First, why did Russia admit it rather than try to accuse Ukraine of firing rockets into Belgorod? Second, what was the intended target for its Su-34 sortie? Bakhmut seems the most likely answer to that. Third: will this admission have any political effect in Russia, especially for its defense ministry, which is locked in political battles with Prigozhin and Kadyrov? — Ed]