Autotranslated:
spoiler
MOSCOW, March 21 – RIA Novosti. Russia has launched mass production of three-ton high-explosive aerial bombs FAB-3000, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“The production of FAB-500 aerial bombs has been increased many times, the production of FAB-1500 has been doubled, and since February of this year, mass production of FAB-3000 has been organized,” the Ministry of Defense said.
Russia has also expanded the range of ammunition produced. In addition, since last year the volume of production of modern artillery and aviation weapons has increased fivefold, the ministry added.
It is noted that such results were achieved thanks to the reactivation of capacities, technical re-equipment and modernization of production lines for the manufacture of projectiles using modern high-tech equipment.
Thus, since 2022, more than 45 thousand square meters of production space have been reconstructed, modernized and put into operation, the department emphasized.
At the enterprise that Shoigu visited, they said that most of its sections work around the clock on a three-shift schedule, and the total number of personnel has grown by more than 1,100 people.
“At the same time, tariff rates and salaries were increased and the bonus system for employees was changed, and therefore wages increased by an average of 20 percent,” the plant reported.
In general, as the Minister of Defense indicated, the Nizhny Novgorod defense industry enterprises fulfilled the tasks that were set for them a year ago. In addition, by introducing new facilities, they are working ahead of production schedule.
It's hard to tell how much of the article itself is propaganda, this just happens to be the first/most official announcement of the FAB-3000 which western sources haven't begun covering yet. Sputnik also covered it but both are state-owned media outlets so you're getting the most Kremlin-friendly perspective. It seems there's a Telegraph article that has less information and is still based off the Defense Ministry announcement: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/21/ukraine-russia-war-live-kyiv-missiles-explosions-klitschko/
spoiler
Russia has begun mass producing three-tonne high-explosive bombs for use in the war in Ukraine, its defence ministry has said.
The Russian defence ministry said on Thursday that production of the FAB-3000 aerial bombs had begun in February.
Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister, was also informed that mass production of several other bombs – the FAB-500 and FAB-1500 – had also been ramped up, Russia’s Sputnik news reported.
The FAB-3000 weighs 3000kg and is a general-purpose aerial bomb, used to destroy fortified military and industrial structures and shelters.
Russian military bloggers earlier this month posted videos of FAB-1500 glide bombs – which weigh 1,500kg and glide –destroying multi-storey buildings in Ukrainian-held towns near the front lines in Donbas.
From my observations so far the Russian MOD when it does lie does so by omission. It may be that they present an overly rosy or optimistic picture sometimes but i haven't seen them put out any outright false information so far. I wouldn't be surprised to see this thing being put into action sometime this year.