At about 7 p.m. Moscow time April 20, “an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using two small-sized balloons on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped,” the Russian Defense Ministry reported on its Telegram channel. The balloons were “destroyed over the territories of the Tula and Moscow regions.”
The Russian MoD also claimed its forces downed five Ukrainian balloons on April 18. "According to Russian news reports, the Ukrainian balloons are equipped with a GPS module and carry explosives," The Associated Press reported.
These claimed balloon shootdowns follow the discovery last month of a converted Ukrainian weather balloon “carrying a kilogram of TNT” that “fell in the forest near the village of Novaya Slobodka,” about 40 miles from the border, the Russian MASH news agency reported at the time.
“They must fly over cities and drop bombs based on GPS signals,” according to the publication. “Weapons are intended for terror.”
Ukraine is increasing the frequency of its cross-border balloon launches, MASH added.
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Should international laws on warfare be updated to address the use of innovative but potentially indiscriminate weapons like balloon bombs?
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How does the idea of weaponizing everyday objects like balloons change your perception of safety in your everyday surroundings?
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Is there ever a justified reason for one country to launch attacks on civilian areas of another country?
