Dissecting the FAB Bomb Rumors: Separating Fact from Fiction in Russian-Ukrainian Tensions
Watan-Accounts on social media have circulated news claiming that Russia is preparing hundreds of highly explosive FAB bombs to strike Ukraine as a retaliatory response to Moscow’s attack.
FAB bombs in retaliation for Moscow’s attack!
These accounts have shared images of massive missiles with Russian inscriptions reading “For Crocus Theater,” referring to the victims of the attack on a concert hall northwest of the Russian capital, Moscow. The attack resulted in the death of at least 143 people and the injury of around 152. The attack was claimed by the “Islamic State” organization.
عاجل 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨:
روسيا تجهز المئات من قنابل FAB الشديدة الانفجار لضرب اوكرانيا كرد انتقامي على الهجوم الإرهابي في موسكو وتنقش على الصواريخ:
“من أجل مسرح كوركوس” pic.twitter.com/QVupDLVnyE
— شؤون روسية (@id7p_) March 24, 2024
But what’s the truth?!
In reality, the circulated images date back to a visit made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on March 21st – a day before the attack – to a defense factory in the Russian province of Nizhny Novgorod, where he inspected the production process of FAB-500 bombs.
RT website published a report titled “The Tsar Bomba Became Heavier… Russia Prepares to Introduce a New Weapon to the Front in Ukraine,” revealing the increased productivity of FAB-500 bombs lately, multiplying several times over.
Production of FAB-1500 bombs, weighing 1500 kilograms, has doubled.
Since last February, the factory has begun serial industrial production of FAB-3000 bombs, weighing 3000 kilograms and striking with a force of 1200 kilograms.
🔴 بينما ينشغل الغرب 🇫🇷🇺🇦🇺🇸🇬🇧🇪🇺
بإخبار #بوتين بما لن يفعلوه، بدأت #روسيا:🇷🇺بعد فوز القيصر الساحق بالانتخابات للتو في إنتاج كميات كبيرة من القنابل الموجهة بوزن 3000 كجم والتي تكفي لتدمير أي مدينة #أوروبية.
هنا البدء خط إنتاج هائل للقنابل الثقيلة FAB-3000 (وزنها 3 طن).
و تم… pic.twitter.com/1FnqhKAYVw
— Bint Qtr 🦋 (@SbintQtr) March 21, 2024
On Friday evening, four gunmen attacked the “Crocus City Hall” center, firing wildly at civilians present there and setting the center on fire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared March 24th a national day of mourning in a speech to Russian citizens delivered yesterday, describing the events at “Crocus” as a bloody and barbaric terrorist act, pledging that everyone behind this crime will receive “fair and inevitable punishment.”
