Ukrainian troops have entered Russian territory to establish a buffer zone, and the Russian military has struggled to respond. Experts have told the media that Russia’s weak air control system makes it difficult for them to accurately use glide bombs. The United States military’s capabilities in this regard surpass those of the Russian military.
According to a report by Business Insider on August 23, a military strategic expert revealed that Russia is unable to fully utilize a weapon to counter the advancing Ukrainian troops within Russian territory. This may be because Russia’s systems are not sufficient to ensure that these glide bombs do not hit their own targets.
During the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has increasingly launched glide bombs toward Ukrainian territory. These bombs are equipped with guidance systems and can be launched from jet aircraft from a distance. These bombs are difficult to intercept and the latest models of Russian bombs weigh up to 6,600 pounds.
However, Russia has not extensively used these bombs to target the Ukrainian troops that crossed the border into Russia.
Retired US Marine Corps Colonel and senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mark Cancian, told Business Insider that Russia has not extensively used air power or glide bombs against Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
“I think this reflects weaknesses in their air control system,” he said.
The US and NATO have very complex mechanisms and well-trained systems between aircraft and control centers to ensure that such bombs do not hit any friendly forces, a capability that Russia does not currently possess.
Cancian stated that the US “is quite good at this. The Russians are not.”
He added that Russia’s relative caution in Kursk reflects their weaknesses in using air support for ground forces.
Kursk has reported some glide bombs used by the Russian military, but on a smaller scale than in other areas. The Ukrainian military stated on Wednesday that Russia had launched 27 glide bombs in Kursk, though it is unclear whether this was the total or daily amount.
Regardless, this number is much lower than the number of bombs Russia claimed to have launched toward Ukrainian targets. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky last Sunday, Russia had launched 750 glide bombs toward Ukrainian cities and villages just last week.
Russia allegedly launches 50 glide bombs daily toward the Sumy region of Ukraine, adjacent to Kursk. George Barros, a Russian military expert at the Institute for the Study of War, told Business Insider that Russia has not extensively used bombs in Kursk.
“Russians definitely won’t do that in Kursk,” he added.
Barros said that Russia is concerned that targeting its own territory will bring “political considerations.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine has begun to use glide bombs against Russia in the Kursk region.
The Ukrainian armed forces released a video showing precision US GBU-39 bombs being dropped on a Russian military base in the Kursk region. Ukrainian Air Force Commander Nikolai Oleshchuk stated that the Ukrainian military attacked Russian positions in the Kursk region.
“Drone control points, electronic warfare units, equipment, weapons, and up to 40 Russian soldiers were attacked,” the Ukrainian armed forces stated in a statement on Telegram.
“This is the situation where the Air Force used precision US GBU-39 bombs to strike a base in the Kursk region.”
Zelensky said that the advance into Russian territory aims to establish a “buffer zone” to minimize Russia’s ability to harm Ukraine.
Barros stated that it is still unclear how this rapid action will end. Nevertheless, he stated that after months of grueling conflict and almost no territorial gains, this is a positive development for Ukraine.
He said the Ukrainian people are “no longer stuck in a quagmire without initiative.”