“They demolish everything”: how Russian hover bombs are impacting kyiv and playing a crucial role in the war in Ukraine

Une bombe russe FAB500 à Kharkiv le 23 juin 2022. MAXPPP – STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT

If aid from Ukraine's allies is struggling to come, Russia is gaining the upper hand on certain front lines, particularly with these hovering bombs which are wreaking real havoc within the Ukrainian army. Volodymyr Zelensky.

More than two years after the start of the war in Ukraine, the conflict between the two countries is proving to be very deadly but also very strategic. If Ukraine strongly impacts the ranks of the Russian army at sea and in the air, by shooting down more than a dozen bombers and sinking several ships, it does not have a major impact on the Russian army. is not the same on the ground.

"Very high destructive power"

The capture of Avdiïvka by Vladimir Putin's troops reflected real progress in the Russian advance. If Ukraine is lacking on the front, kyiv is also being shelled by the enemy. It's the use of hovering bombs which make it possible to attack at longer distances, reports the magazine Géo. These are actually very effective but also have a significant lethal impact.

Although these models are old, FAB-500 M-62, dating from the Soviet era, these bombs have & quot;very high destructive power", explained Dmytro Lykhovii, Ukrainian military spokesman in eastern Ukraine, in Washington Post. "Elles are demolishing everything, destroying houses and foundations that can be used for defense fortifications", he added.

"Russian glide bombs are ideal for urban warfare, for hitting places like Avdiivka where you more or less know what area you need aim", explains Konrad Muzyka, director of the defense consulting firm Roshan, from Poland, a country bordering Ukraine.

The ravages of these bombs can be seen in particular by the intensification of strikes since January, with an average of 100 per  day, going up to 160 just before the fall of Avdiïvka, underlines Géo.

Lack of ammo

Volodymyr Zelensky's troops are also in possession of French-made AASM Hammer plant bombs, but in quantities far too small to have a real impact on the Russian enemy. The lack of American weapons is also felt, since the United States has stopped all deliveries since October.

First image of a French-supplied AASM-250 HAMMER extended-range bomb in Ukrainian Air Force service. pic.twitter.com/O8qnQDNfae

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 4, 2024

However, Volodymyr Zelensky's troops can count on the "Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb" (GLSDB), which are small diameter bombs launched on the ground, which allow Kiev to strike far behind Russian lines.

Russian hovering bombs therefore played an important role in the capture of Aviïvka, a town symbol of Ukrainian resistance, and could therefore prove important for the outcome of this conflict .