Ukraine Takes a Major Step Toward Challenging Russian Air Superiority
Begins to Take Out Russian Glidebombs
A few weeks ago, a Ukrainian military blogger reported a sharp reduction in Russian glide bomb attacks, but the reason was unclear. At first, I assumed the slowdown was linked to the Biden administration’s decision to relax long-range missile restrictions on Ukraine, leading to Russian jets retreating to deeper bases. The assumption was that the Russians were adjusting to flying from these bases, and glide bomb attacks would pick up again after a brief lull.
However, it seems the decline in glide bomb attacks is due to Ukraine’s innovation. The Institute for the Study of War reported earlier today that “Ukrainian forces are using machine guns and electronic warfare (EW) to down and divert guided glide bombs, as their lack of a thermal signature prevents portable air defense systems from targeting them.”
Russian glide bomb strikes have devastated Ukrainian frontlines, marking one of the few areas where Russia has consistently innovated since launching its first glide bomb in March 2023. They started on a small scale, gradually ramping up to over 150…
