Russian Air Force Conducts Massive Aerial Strikes in April, Almost a Quarter of Which Targeted Kurshyn
April saw a surge in air attacks by enemy aircraft on Defense Forces and Ukrainian settlements, employing guided aerial bombs.
According to the Ministry of Defense, this uptick involved over 5,000 guided aerial bombs dropped in April alone. About a quarter of these, approximately 1,200, were targeted at Ukrainian Defense Forces positions in the Kursk region.
In 2024, the enemy employed around 40,000 guided aerial bombs, followed by more than 15,000 since the beginning of 2025.
Now, let's dive deeper into this escalating situation:
Data from April 2025 reveals an enormous offensive, involving over 1,460 guided aerial bombs in a single week, accompanied by 670 attack drones and over 30 missiles. This relentless assault on both military positions and civilian settlements reflects a sustained campaign to overcome air defenses and cause mass destruction.
The devastation wrought by these attacks has led to extensive damage in residential areas, critical infrastructure, and energy systems, further worsening the humanitarian crisis. While specific occupation details from 2024–2025 are scarce, reports coming in from frontline regions like Kursk and others point towards targeted civilian zones.
In military terms, guided bombs allow Russian aviation to strike with relative ease from standoff distances, effectively bypassing Ukrainian air defenses. This has likely forced Ukrainian forces to disperse logistics and fortify their positions, albeit at the expense of overwhelming their defensive capabilities. Tactical advancements, such as the April 2025 battalion-sized mechanized attack in Zaporizhia Oblast, may leverage prior aerial bombardment to weaken Ukrainian lines.
Internationally, these strikes have garnered widespread criticism, with Ukrainian officials urging enhanced Western military support to counter these strategies. On the other side, Russian officials label such operations as targeting "military gatherings", a claim Ukrainian authorities refute.
The surge in air attacks in April 2025, as reported by the Ministry of Defense, included over 1,460 guided aerial bombs dropped within a week, some of which were aimed at the Kursk region, sharing a similarity with the 1,200 bombs dropped there in April 2024. Political tensions have escalated, with Ukrainian officials calling for increased Western military support to counter such strategies, in contrast to Russian officials' claims that these bombings target only military gatherings.
