The Russian military has begun employing a new strategy – guided aerial bombs (GABs) with jet engines – in southern Ukraine, particularly in the Odesa region. The enemy uses them individually in various areas, testing their effectiveness and the response of Ukrainian defense forces. The threat to the civilian population is manageable, as these munitions can be intercepted by air defense systems. This was reported by Yuriy Ihnat, head of the communications department of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

He noted that these GABs resemble cruise missiles, but they are significantly cheaper to produce. They have already started reaching the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Poltava regions. The enemy deploys them sporadically to assess the defensive response.

«This is the same bomb released from a Su-34 aircraft; in terms of flight parameters, it resembles a cruise missile, thus it can be intercepted by air defense systems. Yesterday, the Southern Air Command confirmed the interception of two such guided bombs with extended range; specialists will determine the exact type. The fall of a third bomb was recorded in an uninhabited area with no consequences,» said the serviceman.

The Air Force representative urged the public not to panic. Currently, these munitions do not pose a critical threat, as they can be intercepted.

Ihnat also emphasized that Russia continues to enhance its striking capabilities while Ukraine, along with its partners, works on developing defense technologies. The main thing for the civilian population is not to ignore air raid signals and seek shelter.