Watch: Russia strikes Ukraine with a 3000 kg bomb amid escalating conflict
Russia has deployed a massive FAB-3000 glide bomb against the Ukrainian town of Orikhove, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, Ukraine and several European nations are forming a coalition to develop a new ballistic missile defense system.
Why it matters
The use of heavy, Soviet-era guided munitions and the formation of new defense coalitions signal a deepening and evolving military conflict in Eastern Europe.
Russia released footage of a three-ton glide bomb causing massive destruction in Ukraine’s Orikhove town of Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, amid escalated tensions between the nations.The bomb was identified as FAB-3000, a heavy guided bomb deployed from a Russian aircraft, reportedly several kilometres away. Originating from the Soviet era, it has been deployed by Russian forces in Ukraine.FAB-3000According to a US think tank, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, the bomb can carry up to 1.4 tonnes of explosives and travel long distances after its release, using a UMPK glide kit.It is deployed by the Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter aircraft, mounted specifically on the aircraft's forward centerline station, and has an estimated range of 50 to 60 kilometres, which is shorter than smaller variants like the FAB-500 due to its weight.Russia is also working on an improved version of the UMPK, allegedly offering a longer range and greater accuracy.A conflict…
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