Nov. 9, 2024, 2:15 p.m.
(Russia dropped a bomb on Kherson. Photo: Kherson Regional Military Administration)
The Russian army has begun to actively use new Grom-E1 guided bombs with a range of up to 120 km.
According to The Telegraph, thanks to the built-in rocket engine, these bombs allow Su-30 and Su-34 aircraft to strike without getting into the range of most Ukrainian air defense systems.
According to David Axe's analysis, these strikes often target civilian objects: "The Grom-E1 has already been used to attack schools, residential buildings, and historic buildings in cities such as Myrnohrad, Kherson, and Kharkiv.
"The targets so far are civilians. In February and March, Grom-E1s hit a school and a residential building in Myrnohrad and Kherson, respectively. In August, another Grom-E1 exploded in Kharkiv. More recently, on October 29, a bombardment using KABs and at least one Grom-E1 damaged a medical facility and other buildings in Kharkiv, including a historic building under UNESCO protection," the expert said.
The Ukrainian military, however, has the capabilities to respond to new threats.
According to the analyst, Ukraine uses French-made Hammer guided bombs and a new Ukrainian analog called Molot, which can reach a range of 65 km. The Armed Forces also received Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) guided bombs from the United States. The only difficulty is the limited launch range, which puts Ukrainian planes at risk of being hit by Russian air defense.
"In general, the war of guided and missile-guided bombs, as well as the use of cruise and ballistic missiles, is favored by Russia. However, this applies to many aspects of the war, and such an imbalance has never prevented the Ukrainians from fighting back," said David Axe.
The Russians have begun to actively use thermobaric warheads on their attack drones, which significantly increase the threat when striking buildings.
In addition, Ukraine will receive air defense missiles from the Estonian defense company Frankenburg Technologies for testing.