Afghan man finds 500 kg Soviet bomb in his garden
A 500-kilogram bomb from the Soviet era has been discovered in Afghanistan, decades after it was likely dropped. Authorities are now working to secure and dispose of the massive explosive.
The device is believed to date back to the Soviet Union’s war in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. During that conflict, the USSR deployed hundreds of thousands of troops and dropped countless aerial bombs across the country. Many of these munitions never exploded and remain buried to this day. c32b
Bombs of this size were commonly used by Soviet aircraft. The 500kg class includes weapons designed to cause wide-area destruction. Experts say that even after 40 years, the explosives inside can still be highly unstable and dangerous to handle. c904
The discovery highlights Afghanistan’s ongoing problem with unexploded ordnance. The country is littered with remnants from decades of war, including Soviet, US, and Taliban conflicts. These devices continue to kill and injure civilians, especially children and farmers working the land.
Local authorities have cordoned off the area and called in bomb disposal experts. They will either defuse the bomb on site or carry out a controlled detonation. Officials have not released the exact location of the find for safety reasons.