WATCH Russian jet drop thermobaric glide bombs on Ukrainian forces

Russian warplanes have conducted a strike on Ukrainian positions in the southern sector of the front using high-precision glide bombs, according to a new video released by the Defense Ministry in Moscow.

In a Telegram post on Thursday, the ministry shared footage of a twin-engine Su-34 strike jet with two pilots inside taking off from an airfield at an unspecified location. At some point during the sortie, a plane can be seen dropping at least four bombs, which then deploy small wings of their own.

Officials said that the strike targeted Ukrainian fortified positions and troops in the southern part of Russia’s Donetsk Region and used high-explosive bombs equipped with a gliding and correction module. Several Russian Telegram channels suggested that the bombs weighed 500kg each.

In January, the New York Times described the glide bombs as Russia’s weapon of choice for destroying Ukrainian bunkers, with Kiev officials admitting that they pose a “very serious threat” as they are difficult to intercept. Ukrainian Telegram channel DeepState, which covers the conflict, described the bombs as a “miracle weapon” against which Kiev has “practically no countermeasures.”

According to Russian and Western military experts, glide bombs can travel dozens of kilometers before accurately hitting their intended target.

To counter the Russian Air Force, Ukraine has for months been asking the West for deliveries of US-designed F-16 fighter jets that are widely expected to start arriving in the embattled country later this year.

However, Politico, citing sources in the Ukrainian military, said that the delivery would be of little value as it was coming too late, and Moscow was already testing countermeasures against the American jets.