Kupiansk hit by massive strike as Russia uses rare aerial bomb
Photo: Kupiansk came under massive air bombardment, there are wounded (t.me/synegubov)
Russia carried out a massive airstrike on Kupiansk using aerial bombs. During the shelling, the occupiers used 10 guided aerial bombs, including the rare volume detonation aviation bomb (ODAB-1500), RBC-Ukraine reports, citing Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, and Defense Express.
"Over a day, Russian forces dropped 10 guided aerial bombs on the city, including the volume detonation aviation bomb ODAB-1500," Syniehubov said.
According to the Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, due to the enemy shelling, five people sustained injuries of varying severity.
"Medics provided the victims with all necessary assistance. Fortunately, there were no dead," Syniehubov noted.
Rare volume detonation aviation bomb ODAB-1500
The thermobaric ODAB-1500 is a volume detonation aviation bomb weighing 1,500 kg, which the occupiers also managed to equip with a universal planning and correction module (UMPC) kit that turned it into a glide bomb.
As analysts from Defense Express wrote, this is not the first time the Russians have used the ODAB-1500 for strikes against Ukraine. Back in March 2024, analysts pointed out that an ODAB-1500 strike on the village of Velyka Pysarivka in the Sumy region, just 7 km from the border with Russia, was not an isolated case.
At that particular time, the bomb was equipped with a UMPC kit, allowing it to be used at considerable distances - estimated at 50-70 km.
Furthermore, analysts at the time cited at least one more instance of an ODAB-1500 being used - in February of last year against Ukrainian defenders' positions in Chasiv Yar. There are also mentions of the bomb's use in mid-January 2024, "in some cases, it was mistakenly identified as an ODAB-500." And even in April 2023 - but without a UMPC kit.
As analysts noted, the ODAB-1500 is a fairly rare item compared to other aerial bombs. It belongs to an older generation of two-stage thermobaric munitions, where an incendiary mixture is first dispersed, and then detonated.
Situation in Kupiansk axis
The Russian army has intensified its offensive in the Kupiansk direction. The occupiers attempted to break through in several areas.
On April 18, there were 11 Russian attacks in the Kupiansk direction. Ukraine's Defense Forces repelled enemy assault actions near Zahryzove, Petropavlivka, and in the direction of Pishchane and Nova Kruhliakivka.
