#Gravitas | Russia has a new bomb in its arsenal, which will be more dangerous and lethal on the battlefield. Why does Russia, which is already a powerful military power, need such a 3-tonne heavy bomb? What strategic importance does it hold for the Russian army? Can Ukraine and its allies counter this threat?

Gravitas: Russia's New Mega Bomb Fab-3000 Portends More Misery for Ukraine's Troops

Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region intensified on Wednesday (April 10) afternoon, hitting a clinic and a pharmacy, and killing at least three people, according to a local official.&nbsp;

Kharkiv and the surrounding areas have been under consistent Russian attack, but the recent weeks have seen a surge in strikes targeting civilian and energy infrastructure.

A 14-year-old girl, and two women were killed in the village of Lyptsi, where a pharmacy came under attack, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said on Telegram.

Two more people were injured, and rescuers continued searching through the rubble for victims.

Two guided bombs destroyed a clinic in Vovchansk, injuring one person, Synehubov said. Separately, Russian troops dropped an explosive on a bus, wounding a man, according to the interior ministry.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians, though the war that began with its full-scale invasion in 2022 has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, the uprooting of millions and the destruction of Ukrainian towns and cities.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region intensified on Wednesday (April 10) afternoon, hitting a clinic and a pharmacy, and killing at least three people, according to a local official.

Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region intensified on Wednesday (April 10) afternoon, hitting a clinic and a pharmacy, and killing at least three people, according to a local official. Kharkiv and the surrounding areas have been under consistent Russian attack, but the recent weeks have seen a surge in strikes targeting civilian and energy infrastructure. A 14-year-old girl, and two women were killed in the village of Lyptsi, where a pharmacy came under attack, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said on Telegram. Two more people were injured, and rescuers continued searching through the rubble for victims. Two guided bombs destroyed a clinic in Vovchansk, injuring one person, Synehubov said. Separately, Russian troops dropped an explosive on a bus, wounding a man, according to the interior ministry. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians, though the war that began with its full-scale invasion in 2022 has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, the uprooting of millions and the destruction of Ukrainian towns and cities. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

Russian airstrikes hit Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, killing 3

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Russia and China agreed to deepen security cooperation across Eurasia to oppose US and Western influence. According to Lavrov, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed such a move, and the two countries agreed to "start a dialogue with the involvement of our other like-minded people on this issue."

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The Russian air force is increasing its use&nbsp;of updated Soviet-era weaponry, adapted for modern warfare, to bombard Ukrainian forces, devastate towns, and gain a battlefield edge for Moscow.

“The experience of the past months and weeks shows that the enemy has significantly increased aircraft activity, using guided air bombs that destroy our positions,” Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said.

The guided weapons, often called "glide bombs," are outdated projectiles traditionally released from Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft directly onto targets. With the addition of inexpensive pop-out wings and a satellite navigation system, these once "dumb bombs" can now be deployed by Russian bombers far beyond the front line, beyond the reach of Ukraine's air defence systems.

The glide bombs have a capacity ranging from 500 kilogrammes to 1.5 tonnes of explosives and can travel over 60 kilometres, creating craters up to 20 metres&nbsp;wide and 6 metres deep.

They are highly destructive, leading Ukrainian analysts associated with Deep State, a group affiliated with the defence ministry, to describe them as a weapon against which Kyiv's forces have&nbsp;“practically no countermeasures.”

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told the&nbsp;Financial Times&nbsp;that his country’s soldiers “are being massively, and I would say even routinely, attacked by guided aerial bombs that wipe out our positions”.

Ukrainian defence officials report that Russians have launched approximately 3,500 of these guided aerial bombs at Ukraine this year alone, marking a sixteenfold increase from 2023.

In the third week of March alone, Russia “launched over 700 guided aerial bombs”, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukraine requires a substantial increase in modern air defence systems to counter these threats. According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the rise in glide-bomb attacks highlights the scarcity of air defence weaponry. Delays in European military aid and a stalled $US60 billion package from the US Congress have contributed to this shortage.

During the final week of March, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, experienced two attacks from "unified multipurpose" glide bombs, which can travel up to 90 kilometres. This marked the city's first encounter with aerial bombs, rather than missiles or drones, since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Since the invasion in February 2022, the Russian air force has played a minor role. The conflict has mainly involved ground battles, resembling a blend of World War I-style trench warfare with modern drone technology.

However, as the fighting has stabilised in recent months, the air war over Ukraine has intensified. In March, Russia launched several&nbsp;cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukrainian energy facilities and civilian infrastructure. These strikes caused prolonged power outages in Kharkiv and endangered hydroelectric power plants in Kaniv and Zaporizhzhia.

At the same time, Kyiv targeted several oil refineries and a drone factory deep within Russia, along with warships and command facilities of the Russian Black Sea fleet in Crimea.

Experts believe that Russia's air force is now taking on a crucial role, shifting the momentum of the war in its favour. This shift is attributed to the development and deployment of glide bombs.

In a recent assessment, the Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian military effectively used&nbsp;"mass glide-bomb strikes" during the seizure of Avdiivka in mid-February.

Hundreds of glide bombs destroyed the town in the Donetsk region, compelling Ukrainian troops to withdraw.

“These bombs completely destroy any position. All buildings and structures simply turn into a pit after the impact of just one,” Egor Sugar, a Ukrainian soldier who fought in Avdiivka, wrote on X. “And they drop 60-80 on us in one day.”

The leader of the armed forces attributed the use of glide bombs as a significant factor in his decision to order troops to withdraw from Avdiivka. This retreat marked Moscow's first significant battlefield victory in almost a year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-help-hundreds-of-angry-russians-in-orsk-demand-compensation-after-floods-destroys-their-homes-709266">Also read |&nbsp;'Putin help': Hundreds of angry Russians hold rare protest after floods destroy over 10,000 homes</a>

<h2>Large-scale manufacturing</h2>

Currently, Russia is increasing the production of glide bombs and modernising the 500-kilogramme FAB-500 and the 1500-kilogramme FAB-1500 bombs.

Earlier this month, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited a factory in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where he examined production facilities.

The defence ministry said the factory had “increased the production of FAB-500 aerial bombs many times over [and] doubled the production of the FAB-1500”.

Also watch |&nbsp;Russia's Glide bombs add to firepower advantage, know all about these bombs

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russias-glide-bombs-add-to-firepower-advantage-know-all-about-these-bombs-709474/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Yet, Western experts and even prominent pro-Kremlin military bloggers on Telegram, who run channels devoted to Russia's air force, have voiced doubts regarding the FAB-3000.

Several have called&nbsp;it as impractical since it can only be transported by Tupolev Tu-22M bombers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

&nbsp;

The Russian air force is increasing its use of updated Soviet-era weaponry, adapted for modern warfare, to bombard Ukrainian forces, devastate towns, and gain a battlefield edge for Moscow.

The Russian air force is increasing its use of updated Soviet-era weaponry, adapted for modern warfare, to bombard Ukrainian forces, devastate towns, and gain a battlefield edge for Moscow. “The experience of the past months and weeks shows that the enemy has significantly increased aircraft activity, using guided air bombs that destroy our positions,” Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said. The guided weapons, often called "glide bombs," are outdated projectiles traditionally released from Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft directly onto targets. With the addition of inexpensive pop-out wings and a satellite navigation system, these once "dumb bombs" can now be deployed by Russian bombers far beyond the front line, beyond the reach of Ukraine's air defence systems. The glide bombs have a capacity ranging from 500 kilogrammes to 1.5 tonnes of explosives and can travel over 60 kilometres, creating craters up to 20 metres wide and 6 metres deep. They are highly destructive, leading Ukrainian analysts associated with Deep State, a group affiliated with the defence ministry, to describe them as a weapon against which Kyiv's forces have “practically no countermeasures.” Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Financial Times that his country’s soldiers “are being massively, and I would say even routinely, attacked by guided aerial bombs that wipe out our positions”. Ukrainian defence officials report that Russians have launched approximately 3,500 of these guided aerial bombs at Ukraine this year alone, marking a sixteenfold increase from 2023. In the third week of March alone, Russia “launched over 700 guided aerial bombs”, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Ukraine requires a substantial increase in modern air defence systems to counter these threats. According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the rise in glide-bomb attacks highlights the scarcity of air defence weaponry. Delays in European military aid and a stalled $US60 billion package from the US Congress have contributed to this shortage. During the final week of March, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, experienced two attacks from "unified multipurpose" glide bombs, which can travel up to 90 kilometres. This marked the city's first encounter with aerial bombs, rather than missiles or drones, since the start of the full-scale invasion. Since the invasion in February 2022, the Russian air force has played a minor role. The conflict has mainly involved ground battles, resembling a blend of World War I-style trench warfare with modern drone technology. However, as the fighting has stabilised in recent months, the air war over Ukraine has intensified. In March, Russia launched several cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukrainian energy facilities and civilian infrastructure. These strikes caused prolonged power outages in Kharkiv and endangered hydroelectric power plants in Kaniv and Zaporizhzhia. At the same time, Kyiv targeted several oil refineries and a drone factory deep within Russia, along with warships and command facilities of the Russian Black Sea fleet in Crimea. Experts believe that Russia's air force is now taking on a crucial role, shifting the momentum of the war in its favour. This shift is attributed to the development and deployment of glide bombs. In a recent assessment, the Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian military effectively used "mass glide-bomb strikes" during the seizure of Avdiivka in mid-February. Hundreds of glide bombs destroyed the town in the Donetsk region, compelling Ukrainian troops to withdraw. “These bombs completely destroy any position. All buildings and structures simply turn into a pit after the impact of just one,” Egor Sugar, a Ukrainian soldier who fought in Avdiivka, wrote on X. “And they drop 60-80 on us in one day.” The leader of the armed forces attributed the use of glide bombs as a significant factor in his decision to order troops to withdraw from Avdiivka. This retreat marked Moscow's first significant battlefield victory in almost a year. Also read | 'Putin help': Hundreds of angry Russians hold rare protest after floods destroy over 10,000 homes Large-scale manufacturing Currently, Russia is increasing the production of glide bombs and modernising the 500-kilogramme FAB-500 and the 1500-kilogramme FAB-1500 bombs. Earlier this month, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited a factory in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where he examined production facilities. The defence ministry said the factory had “increased the production of FAB-500 aerial bombs many times over [and] doubled the production of the FAB-1500”. Also watch | Russia's Glide bombs add to firepower advantage, know all about these bombs Yet, Western experts and even prominent pro-Kremlin military bloggers on Telegram, who run channels devoted to Russia's air force, have voiced doubts regarding the FAB-3000. Several have called it as impractical since it can only be transported by Tupolev Tu-22M bombers. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Explained | How are Russia’s low-cost glide bombs changing the nature of the war in Ukraine?

The Russia's use of glide bombs is adding to the country's fires advantage as it attempts to make a breakthrough in the lines of Ukrainian defenders. Watch in for more details!

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The US House of Representatives' Speaker, Mike Johnson, declared on Sunday that following the Easter break, which ends on April 9, he will offer a package providing more than $60 billion in aid to Ukraine for consideration. Watch in for more details!

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