Russian glide bombs miss mark, nearly hit own dam
The Russians have been intensely targeting Ukraine with KAB glide bombs, which are FAB bombs equipped with UMPK modules. These bombs are released from high altitudes, allowing them to travel several dozen miles. However, their quality is poor, and they sometimes miss their targets. Recently, one of the larger bombs nearly fell on a water dam near the village of Popovka in the Belgorod region.
The video below shows a Russian bomb detonating near the dam. Judging by the force of the explosion, it was most likely one of the heaviest bombs, either the FAB-1500 or the FAB-3000, weighing one and a half and three tons, respectively, with half of the weight being the explosive charge. The Russians narrowly avoided causing another flood, this time on their own territory.
Air bombs — a problematic weapon for Russians
The massive use of KAB aerial bombs, based on old FAB bombs enhanced with UMPK (Unified Planning and Correction Modules), has been the basis for most Russian successes in recent months.
This complements Russian tactics reminiscent of World War II. These tactics rely on the massive deployment of military equipment or soldiers and firepower intended to neutralize identified resistance points. Currently, in Russia, so-called expendable infantry units have become standard. Their task is solely to provoke the Ukrainians into revealing their positions by opening fire.
Once the fire points are located, the Russians call for artillery shelling or aerial raids using KAB glide bombs. With an accuracy within 30 feet, these bombs are effective in destroying field fortifications.
Air bombs weighing up to 3 tons — compensating for lack of precision with destructive power
Over time, Ukrainians have developed jammers that reduce the accuracy of these bombs by several dozen meters. This reduction makes smaller bombs sometimes ineffective, prompting the use of heavier bombs that offer greater destructive power.
For FAB-3000 bombs, which contain 1.5 tons of TNT and have an effective blast radius of several hundred feet, such deviations in precision are less significant. However, one downside is that aircraft like the Su-34 can carry a maximum of three of these large bombs, limiting their ability to strike multiple targets in one mission compared to what lighter bombs can achieve.
