Russian glide bomb attacks are reshaping the war in Ukraine, delivering devastating strikes from beyond the reach of many air defences and forcing Kyiv into a race to match Moscow's growing capability.

The latest attack on Zaporizhzhia, where Russian forces launched seven glide bombs in 90 minutes, killing two people and injuring at least 15, highlights how the low-cost weapons have become one of the Kremlin's most effective battlefield tools.

Cheap Weapons, Devastating Impact

Glide bombs are conventional munitions fitted with wings and guidance systems, allowing them to travel up to 95 kilometres after being released by aircraft flying far from the front line.

Built largely from ageing Soviet-era bombs upgraded with relatively simple technology, they offer Russia a powerful and inexpensive way to strike military positions, infrastructure and urban areas without exposing aircraft to greater risk.

Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of a Russian glide-bomb attack late at night on a nine-floor residential building in Kharkiv (EPA)

Ukraine Scrambles to Catch Up

After relying on limited Western supplies, Ukraine has developed its own domestically produced glide bomb, known as the Vyrivniuvach, or "Equaliser", following a 17-month development programme.

Military analysts say the move reflects the growing importance of long-range stand-off weapons as drones continue to destroy conventional artillery across the battlefield, reducing the effectiveness of traditional firepower.

Frontline Balance Shifts

Unlike small attack drones, glide bombs carry warheads weighing hundreds of kilograms, enabling them to obliterate bunkers, fortified positions and defensive lines with a single strike.

Russia reportedly launched more than 1,800 glide bombs during the first week of June alone, underlining the scale of its campaign. Analysts say the weapons have become central to Moscow's tactic of softening Ukrainian positions before ground assaults.

An Arms Race With No End in Sight

Ukraine hopes its own glide bombs will narrow the gap, but experts warn Russia retains a significant production advantage. As both sides invest in increasingly sophisticated stand-off weapons, glide bombs are emerging as one of the defining technologies of the conflict.

Their growing use signals a broader shift in modern warfare, where inexpensive precision weapons are increasingly replacing traditional artillery as the decisive force on the battlefield.

How glide bombs will shape the future of the war in Ukraine

In all of the chatter about new weaponry one great irony stands out: The lesson of Russia's invasion is that small nuclear-armed powers should never under any circumstances give up their nuclear weapons. North Korea, Israel, Pakistan, even arguably Iran - their nuclear weapons are indispensable to their continued existence as nation-states, which is why they acquired such weapons in the first place.

Britain & France have no doubt taken note. And there are at least a dozen or so other small-to-medium nation-states - mostly around the borders of Mother Russia and China but potentially also of Usofa - which are also learning the lesson. Not that the lesson is new. Living beside great empires has never been a sensible long-term plan for small countries.

In Ukraine's case Putin's cynicism is proof that all the best-intentioned treaties are useless when a great power decides it needs even more greatness.