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Russia's lost guided bomb problem is growing
The UK Ministry of Defence stated that incidents of friendly fire and target errors continue while Russia uses guided bombs, attributing this to fatigue and skill...
The UK Ministry of Defence announced that the errors Russia has been experiencing for a long time while using guided bombs continue. According to the Ministry, this situation clearly shows the shortcomings in Moscow's way of conducting air strikes.
In the intelligence assessment published by the Ministry, it was stated that Russia still makes mistakes in directing its ammunition correctly to its targets. The assessment emphasized that these errors indicate not only technical but also operational vulnerabilities.
Friendly fire incidents ongoing for years
A group called Astra, which monitors open source data in Russia, has documented the destruction caused by guided bombs on Russian soil and in the Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia for years. The same group announced at the end of May that the Russian air forces have dropped at least 25 guided bombs on controlled areas so far this year.
According to the same statement, this number had reached 143 incidents in 2025 and 165 incidents in 2024. This picture shows that the problem is not a single event but a recurring military issue.
Attack tempo increased
Since 2023, Russia has been attacking Ukraine daily with dozens of air-launched guided bombs. Over time, the Russian army, which has further increased the attack tempo, is now reported to use more than 100 munitions per day.
The UK Ministry of Defence estimated that the Kremlin currently conducts over 200 combat aircraft sorties per day and drops approximately 180 to 250 guided bombs.
Possible causes: procedure, fatigue, and training
According to the Ministry, the recurring errors may be due to deficiencies in the procedures applied in arming warplanes and mistakes made by air crews. The assessment also stated that this frequency reveals the fatigue of air and ground personnel in Russian forces.
The report also noted that insufficient military training could be one of the factors exacerbating the problem. Thus, it was emphasized that the chain of errors is based not on a single point but on multiple structural problems.
Damage also occurred on Russian soil
Such incidents have caused damage not only on the Ukrainian front but also in Russia's own border regions. Incidents where civilians were injured or killed, especially in cities like Belgorod, have previously come to the agenda.
Local officials working in areas under Russian control had admitted similar mistakes in the past. One of the clearest examples was in April 2023, when the Russian Ministry of Defence said that a Su-34 fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb over Belgorod due to an "abnormal descent of aviation ammunition."
According to local authorities, that ammunition created a crater about 18 meters wide and caused injuries to two women. This incident revealed the impact of Russia's air strike capacity problems on the ground.
The latest assessment by the UK Ministry of Defence revealed that despite Russia's intense air bombardment, it has not fully overcome issues of precision and reliability.
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