Russia is developing a new generation of guided aerial bombs (KABs) capable of striking targets at distances up to 200 kilometers. This means a significantly larger number of Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, will be under threat.

This was stated by Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi.

According to military intelligence, the Russian army will soon receive approximately 500 guided aerial bombs with an operational range of up to 200 kilometers. "This puts far more cities at risk than before," Skibitskyi emphasized.

What are KABs and Why Are They So Dangerous

KAB (Corrected Aerial Bomb / Korrекtiruemaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba) is a conventional Soviet or Russian-manufactured aerial bomb equipped with a glide module and guidance system. Essentially, it's a "smart bomb" that can adjust its flight trajectory for precise target engagement.

Key Characteristics of KABs:

  • Base: Soviet free-fall bombs FAB-250, FAB-500, FAB-1500 (the number indicates weight in kilograms)
  • Modernization: Installation of UMPK module (Universal Module for Planning and Correction / Universalny Modul Planirovaniya i Korrektsii) with deployable wings and GPS/GLONASS guidance
  • Range: Modern KABs can glide 60-80 km when released from altitudes of 10-12 km
  • Accuracy: Target deviation of 5-10 meters
  • Cost: Approximately $20-30 thousand per modernization kit versus $1-3 million for a cruise missile

How Russia Employs KABs

Russian aviation has been massively using KABs since 2024, turning them into one of the primary means of striking Ukrainian positions and cities. Typical employment tactics:

  1. Su-34 or Su-35 bomber takes off from an airfield in deep Russian rear
  2. Aircraft approaches the front line without entering Ukrainian air defense zone (at a distance of 60-80 km)
  3. KABs are released from altitude of 10-12 km and glide toward target
  4. Guidance module corrects trajectory using GPS/GLONASS coordinates
  5. Aircraft turns around and returns to base without exposure to danger

Russia's Current KAB Employment Capabilities

As of late 2024, Russia possesses the following capabilities:

  • Production: Approximately 3,000-4,000 UMPK modules monthly
  • Bomb stockpile: Tens of thousands of Soviet FABs in storage suitable for modernization
  • Daily employment: Up to 100-150 KABs per day across various front sectors
  • Carriers: Approximately 250-300 Su-34, Su-35, Su-30SM aircraft capable of employing KABs
  • Strike geography: Primarily frontline cities – Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Mykolaiv

New Threat: 200-Kilometer Range

If GUR intelligence is confirmed and Russia indeed creates KABs with 200 km range, this will fundamentally change the situation:

  • Kyiv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kropyvnytskyi and other central Ukrainian cities will come under attack
  • Russian bombers won't need to approach the front line
  • Release possible from Russian and Belarusian territory without entering Ukrainian airspace
  • Interception of such bombs is extremely difficult due to low radar signature of gliding munitions

To achieve such range, Russia likely employs enlarged glide module wings and improved aerodynamics, and may use lighter munitions (FAB-250 instead of FAB-500).

Why This is a Critical Threat

Unlike cruise missiles and drones, KABs:

  • Harder to detect by radars due to small size and absence of engine
  • Practically impossible to shoot down with existing air defense systems (Patriot, IRIS-T, NASAMS are optimized for missiles and aircraft)
  • Cheap to produce – Russia can scale up their use almost indefinitely
  • Highly accurate – hit specific buildings
  • Possess enormous destructive power – FAB-500 creates a crater 15-20 meters in diameter

The emergence of 200-kilometer KABs will create fundamentally new challenges for Ukrainian air defense and will require either receiving F-16 fighters in quantities sufficient for airspace control, or strikes on Russian bomber bases.