Russia has massively increased its bombing of Ukrainian positions

Russia has increased its bombing campaign against Ukraine according to the country’s Deputy Defense Minister. How bad is the situation? Moscow has allegedly dropped thousands of bombs on Ukrainian positions since the new year. 

Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk revealed that Russian combat aircraft were stepping up their game in 2024 and said 3,500 bombs have been dropped on Ukrainian defense positions over the last seventy-seven-day period. 

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The number of bombs dropped since the start of the year represents a staggering 16% increase over the previous year during the same period according to Havryliuk, who also noted Russia aviation dominates Ukraine's skies. 

Havryliuk revealed the shocking nature of Russia's air campaign in an article for the Ukrainian state-owned news agency Ukrainiform. The reason why Moscow has upped its bombings on the front is simple: because it can. 

Not only does Russia dominate the skies over Ukraine, but Moscow is also employing a 'new' air-launched gliding bomb against Ukrainian positions, which has allowed Russia to gain the upper hand against Ukraine at the moment. 

“By converting a basic Soviet-era weapon into a gliding bomb, Russia has unleashed a munition capable of creating craters up to fifteen meters wide, inflicting severe damage on Ukrainian positions,” explained Defense Blog. 

Breaking Russian air dominance and air superiority will be crucial if Ukraine wants to put a stop to Moscow’s increased bombing of its defensive positions. This is an issue that Havryliuk believes the F-16 could deal with in the future. 

Unfortunately, Ukraine doesn't have the F-16 fighter jets that its allies have promised to supply the country with yet and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are running low on several key types of ammunition that could be useful now. 

The current Russian bombing campaign coupled with Ukraine's inability to stop it is what has allowed Russia to advance according to Havryliuk. But there is also one other major issue that has nothing to do with Russia's air dominance. 

Moscow currently has a 7 to 1 advantage across the frontline in artillery ammunition and is using the situation to make gains without slowing down its intensity of fire. the Kremlin believes Russia will have superior ammunition stocks for a while, Havryliuk explained. 

“In the Kremlin, they calculate that they will have enough ammunition to dominate the battlefield for a long time. This barrage of fire is provided not only by Russian factories," Havryliuk wrote in his article according to a translation from Defense Express. 

Extra artillery ammunition isn’t just being produced by Russian factories, however. The Kremlin is also receiving help from North Korea, which is proving Russia with significant quantities” according to the deputy defense minister. 

On March 18th, The Defense Post reported that South Korean Minister of Defense Shin Won-sik revealed North Korea has reportedly sent roughly 7,000 shipping containers of ammunition and other military equipment to Russia since 2023. 

The best way to combat the current challenges being faced on the battlefield by Ukraine is to find a way to provide Kyiv with all of the resources it requires to fend off Russia despite the production challenges facing its allies. 

Havryliuk noted that Ukraine needs more air defense systems and long-range missiles, as well as more aircraft, artillery shells, and modern electronic warfare equipment that can counter Russian weapons. 

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The outcome of the war will be dependent on Ukrainian soldiers and the conveyor belt of weapons that Ukraine's allies and partners can keep funneling into the country. Kyiv has the manpower according to Havryliuk, but it needs the weapons to win.