Ukraine's Defense Minister: Russia Launched Close to 10,000 Guided Bombs Against Ukraine This Year Alone

Since the beginning of 2024, Russia has deployed close to 10,000 precision-guided bombs in Ukraine, revealed Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on March 25th.

Umerov stressed the necessity for heightened air defense measures, noting ongoing discussions between Kyiv and its allies on this matter that have been occurring daily and whenever possible.

In response to the attack on a department store in Kharkiv on May 25th, claiming the lives of at least 16 individuals and leaving over 40 wounded, Umerov extended condolences to the affected families.

“No words will be able to silence your grief. However, we will do everything to bring those responsible for this brutal and deliberate aggression to justice,” Umerov wrote.

Typically employing laser-guided or satellite-guided KAB bombs, with payloads ranging from 250 to 1,500 kilograms, Russia has targeted both military targets and civilian areas within Ukraine.

Particularly Kharkiv and Kharkiv region have been targeted in recent Russian air strikes, with civilian areas sustaining heavy damage. Attacks on Orthodox Easter Sunday and the May 25th department store bombing highlight the impact of Russia's guided bomb campaign.

The High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, emphasized the urgent requirement for bolstered air defense systems following the Kharkiv attack. He called upon European nations to extend support in this regard.

Borrell's plea resonates with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's appeal for the deployment of Patriot air defense systems from allied nations in response to the Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated the critical need for enhanced air defense capabilities in the wake of the department store bombing.