The Russian Defense Ministry has released drone footage showing glide bombs hitting Ukrainian forces during their incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region.
The video showed two strikes using FAB-500 bombs – a munition initially designed to be unguided – fitted with a modern Universal Correction and Guidance Module winged upgrade kit, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Two blasts in a patch of woodland next to a road can be seen in the collated drone footage, seen from two different angles. The munitions were deployed from supersonic multifunctional Su-34 fighter-bombers, which carried out strikes against Ukrainian forces and their military equipment, according to the statement.
“Having received confirmation from reconnaissance that the targets had been destroyed, the crews returned safely to the deployment airfield,” the Defense Ministry said. Russian glide bombs have seen more extensive use in the Ukraine conflict in the past year, with Kiev’s sources often describing them as “devastating” in their statements to Western media.
Early on Tuesday, Ukrainian forces launched a cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. The Ukrainian leadership said on Thursday that one of the objectives of the assault is to sow “fear” into the hearts of the Russian population, in order to lower support for their government and eke out a stronger negotiating position.
Russian President Vladimir Putin dubbed the push as a “large-scale provocation,” accusing Kiev of conducting “indiscriminate strikes” on civilians, civilian buildings and ambulances. Multiple videos circulating online in the past two days appear to show Ukrainian troops firing on civilian cars.
According to an early statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev’s assault was carried out by forces numbering up to a thousand, supported by tanks and artillery. A ministry spokesman later reported that Kiev’s advance had been stopped.
Ukrainian forces lost up to 400 service members dead or wounded, as well as 32 units of heavy equipment in the Kursk Region over the course of the day, a ministry statement said on Thursday evening. In total, Kiev has lost more than 660 troops and 82 pieces of heavy equipment in the incursion, it added.