Ukraine prosecutors claimed that two people were killed and several others were injured after Russian glide bombs targeted a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv.
Reuters quoted regional governor Oleh Syniehubov as saying that Ukraine's second-largest city was hit by two glide bombs—air-launched munitions fitted with wings and satellite-aided navigation to increase their range and precision.
"In Kharkiv, assistance is currently being provided to the victims in the areas hit by Russian glide bombs. As of now, dozens of people have been reported injured, including children. Russia dropped two aerial bombs right on the city, on people. One hit near a residential building, the other struck a civilian enterprise. Emergency services are now working to extinguish the fire there," President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet.
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Media reports claim that Russia may have used its newly developed UMPB-5 long-range guided bombs. These bombs, which have a range of nearly 100km, were dropped from a Su-34 aircraft.
Spartak Borysenko, a spokesperson for Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, said the UMPB-5 (Universal Interspecific Glide Munition) bombs weigh around 250 kg.
Russia is reported to have inducted these long-range, precision-guided glide bombs into service around 2024-2025. The bomb reportedly features advanced guidance systems, using GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System) satellite and inertial navigation, combined with aerodynamic surfaces and folding wings that allow it to glide toward its target from distances of about 90 to 120 kilometres. The improved gliding module of the bomb enhances its strike effectiveness.
According to The WarZone, while the exact guidance method of the bomb is unknown, unconfirmed reports suggest that the UMPB D-30SN uses both inertial and satellite navigation.
If confirmed, this would be the the first documented use of this bomb in combat.
