Ukraine aerial attacks against Russia get ground-based boost

Well, a ceasefire in Ukraine remains elusive

Ukraine's ability to attack Russia is getting a boost. Over the last few weeks, Ukraine's armed forces started using ground-launched small-diameter bombs again

The munitions make use of two items already in wide use in U.S. and Allied inventories

The GbU-39 small-diameter bomb and an M-26 rocket motor. Once fired, the rocket motor falls away and the SDB becomes a glide bomb with a light bomb with a M-26 rocket motor

the range of around 100 miles. SDBs are much more maneuverable than standard artillery shells

That means they can strike targets on the reverse slope. Now, if these weapons sound familiar, that's because the U.S. sent over a bunch earlier in

the war, but they proved largely ineffective against Russian electronic countermeasures. After a brief pause in USA to Ukraine, the Trump administration restarted the weapon shipments

which included the upgraded G.L. SDBs. Ukraine's air-launched small diameter bombs are also making more of an impact against Russian targets

In a video recently posted to social media, a Ukrainian F-16 was captured carrying 8GBU-39

SDBs in addition to a mix of air-to-air munitions. Ukraine older Meg 29s and Sue 27s were retrofitted to be able to carry the Western weapons When Ukraine first received Western F they were used largely for air patrol missions

But as pilots grow more comfortable with the fighter and as Ukraine's fleet of F-16s grows

the fighting falcons are being used in more air-to-ground roles as well

The bread and butter of Ukraine's air attacks is still drones, though

Throughout the war, Ukrainian engineers figured out new ways to push the limits of drone tech, and they've done it again. At the start of the war, most of Ukraine's

drones could only fly a couple of miles away from their operator. That range was expanded to around

10 miles last year, and now there are reports of Ukrainian drone pilots making attack runs

on targets up to 25 miles away. Even Russian state media is warning of the Ukrainian drone's

extended range. Now, on their own, none of these advancements, will be enough to turn the tide of the war into Ukraine's favor

but they are all vital in making sure Russia doesn't seize the initiative either

Negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing, but as of publication, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he cannot accept the current

U.S. proposed agreement, something which reportedly made President Donald Trump, quote, pissed off

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