Pilots flying a Russian fighter jet involved in the operations against Ukraine recently left a rather unusual message on a bomb, airing their grievances about pay issues. This was highlighted through an image that circulated on social media.
Since the onset of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in 2022, reports of low morale among Russian troops have surfaced frequently, with many expressing dissatisfaction with their leaders and military strategies.
Despite the Russian government promoting lucrative pay packages to enlist more soldiers, numerous troops and their families have complained about not receiving the promised wages throughout the nearly three-year conflict.
The latest incident was shared by @wartranslated, a pro-Ukrainian account on X (formerly Twitter). They posted an image of a glide bomb inscribed with a message from Russian pilots who are currently engaged in the conflict in Ukraine.
The tweet stated, “Well that’s a new one,” commenting on how the pilots had left a written appeal to their superiors right on the glide bomb, expressing concerns over a lack of bonus payments for what they described as “bombing their own country.”
Well that’s a new one. Pilots of a Russian bomber left an appeal to the Ministry of Defence written on a glide bomb complaining about lack of bonus pay for bombing their own country:
“Dear Ministry of Defence, I’m FAB with UMPK.
Soon I will fly to destroy occupiers in Kursk Obl.… pic.twitter.com/dvK2O4ds6U— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) October 22, 2024
The message, which started with “Dear Ministry of Defense, I’m an FAB with UMPK,” refers to the FAB-500s, Soviet-designed bombs weighing about 1,100 pounds that are equipped with the UMPK guidance system. The full note expressed disappointment: “Soon I will fly to destroy occupiers in Kursk Oblast. I’m upset for my crew, they have not received bonus pay for counterterrorist operations since August. Sort it out! P.S. You can make mistakes, but you can’t lie.”
On August 6, Ukraine initiated an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, reportedly reclaiming hundreds of square miles swiftly.
Initially slow to respond, Moscow has since deployed around 50,000 troops from other areas of the Ukrainian front, with ongoing Russian advances and efforts to regain lost territory.
Recent developments reveal that Russian forces have made progress in northern Kursk, with geolocated footage indicating gains southeast of Korenevo amid ongoing intense battles and Ukrainian counteroffensives.
Additionally, Ukrainian sources report that Kyiv’s forces have employed American-supplied M1 Abrams tanks near Novoivanovka, marking a significant escalation in their tactics, as per the Institute for the Study of War.