The Ukrainian Air Force said on Thursday that Russia has used more than 51,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion nearly three years ago. The weapons, equipped with wings and satellite navigation for greater precision and range, pose a serious threat and are extremely difficult to intercept, reports "Reuters".
The guided bombs are a cheaper alternative to the ballistic and cruise missiles that Russia also regularly fires at Ukraine. They are manufactured on the basis of Soviet ammunition and are equipped with modern technologies to improve accuracy. Despite their lower cost, their destructive power is enormous and can destroy even heavily fortified Ukrainian positions, which are gradually collapsing in the eastern parts of the country.
In 2024, Russia used about 40,000 such bombs, the Ukrainian military said in a statement on Telegram.
These bombs are often targeted at regions near the front line and border areas with Russia. On Wednesday, a Russian plane dropped two guided bombs on a residential area in the southeastern city of Zaporizhia, killing at least 13 people and wounding 113 - the deadliest attack this year, according to Ukrainian authorities. On Thursday, another bomb hit residential buildings in the southern city of Kherson, wounding at least six people.
Ukrainian authorities have stressed that the most effective way to deal with cruise missile attacks is to destroy the planes that launch them and attack the airfields where they are based.
Russia continues to use these weapons as part of its strategy to wear down Ukrainian defense lines, while Ukrainian forces seek ways to limit their destructive impact.