Russia may commence mass production of new aerial bombs for targeting Ukraine – ISW

The experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) predict that the Russian Federation will attempt to mass-produce sophisticated guided bombs to increase their deployment along the entire Ukraine front.

ISW reported that.

A Ukrainian military official confirmed that Russian troops are striking Ukraine with advanced aerial bombs.

On March 10, Captain Dmytro Lykhoviy, the spokesperson for the Tavria group of Ukrainian soldiers, reported that Russian forces targeted Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region with three S–300 missiles, known as universal interspecies glider munitions. This was based on a preliminary assessment by the Ukrainian prosecutor's office.

Lykhoviy stated that the UMPB D-30SN advanced guided bombs are essentially a modified version of the Soviet-era FAB unguided bombs.

The report recalls that Russian forces previously used unguided glider bombs as early as January 2024.

In addition, it is noted that ISW has recently observed Russian so-called military bloggers claiming that the Russian military has begun striking with FAB UMPB aerial bombs, as opposed to using unguided glider bombs with unified planning and correction modules (UMPC), in some areas of Ukraine.

The same bloggers claimed that the Russian military could launch UMPB cruise bombs from aircraft and ground-based multiple rocket launchers (MSRPs) such as Tornado-S and Smerch.

Therefore, experts assume that the Russian troops will probably try to launch the serial production of guided air bombs UMPB and expand their use on the entire front line.

ISW Key Findings for March 10:

• A Ukrainian military official confirmed that Russian forces are conducting strikes in Ukraine with improved guided glide bombs.
• Russian sources reported that the Russian military command has replaced Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov with Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Moiseev as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy.
• Russian occupation authorities opened early voting in occupied Ukraine for Russia's presidential election on March 10, which will last until March 14.
• Chechen officials organized a march in Grozny, Chechnia, on March 10 to support Russian President Vladimir Putin's candidacy in the upcoming March presidential election.
• Over 1,000 civilian ships have transited Ukraine's "grain corridor" in the Black Sea despite persistent Russian efforts to undermine international confidence in the corridor.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) awarded a state honor to a prominent Russian ultranationalist — who is an active supporter of imprisoned former officer and ardent ultranationalist Igor Girkin — likely as part of an ongoing Kremlin campaign to coopt the critical military blogger community.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Bakhmut and Avdiivka amid continued positional engagements along the entire frontline on March 10.
• Prominent Russian ultranationalists praised Russian volunteers and mobilized personnel on March 10, likely to assuage continued concerns among these personnel despite their improper and unequal treatment in the Russian military.

As reported, the enemy army began to use ammunition with a poisonous substance more actively.