Russian forces have begun deploying long-range glide bombs, which — according to military analysts — have radically changed the nature of hostilities.
The warning is clear, and it doesn’t come from Moscow but from Berlin.
This winter is the most critical for Ukraine’s future.
The threat to Kyiv is real, with the Russians reportedly aiming to bring the war to the Ukrainian capital as early as the spring of 2026.
At the same time, on the eastern front, Ukrainian losses are mounting one after another, with the Ukrainian armed forces unable to resist the advance of the Russian army.
The fight for every square meter, every street, every basement is not a training simulation — it is a battle for survival.
Especially now that the Russians are shattering Ukraine’s defensive lines using new-generation bombs.
Alarm in Kyiv for the winter
Winter is expected to become a true test of survival for Kyiv.
The anger of Ukrainians over the lack of electricity and heating could easily turn against the authorities.
The West is well aware of these critical moments, with the latest warning coming from Berlin.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul declared that the coming winter will be decisive for Ukraine.
“This winter is crucial for Kyiv,” said Wadephul, stressing that without Western assistance, Ukraine would lose its ability to defend itself.
Germany, he said, bears a “special responsibility” in this regard.
Wadephul emphasized that Berlin is ready to support Kyiv at any moment.
Nevertheless, on the frontlines, Russian forces are methodically tightening the noose around key Ukrainian defensive hubs — notably in Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian troops are under crushing pressure and siege.
Attack on Moscow
Despite Kyiv’s attempts to strike the Russian capital, Russia’s air defense systems performed flawlessly, minimizing damage and demonstrating that Moscow remains well protected.
Military blogger Yuriy Podolyaka highlighted the effectiveness of reconnaissance and preparation:
“A large night drone raid by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Moscow… the results: it was a deliberate strike on the capital. Moreover, the evening preparations for it clearly show that our reconnaissance worked properly — we met the attack with full combat readiness.”
Massive drone raid
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, around 193 unmanned aerial vehicles took part in the attack — most of which were destroyed far from their targets:
47 over the Bryansk region
42 over Kaluga
32 over Tula
10 over Kursk
7 over Oryol
and another 40 over the Moscow region, with minimal impact on the city.
As military correspondents note, the deployment of new mobile fire units in central Moscow further strengthened the sense of security, though it did cause some unease among residents.
The war will reach Kyiv
Meanwhile, Ukrainian media acknowledge that Russian FPV drones could reach Kyiv within 3–6 months, while Russia’s heavy air bombs already threaten suburbs such as Troieshchyna.
Winter in Kyiv promises to be harsh: the delay of the heating season into November–December signals severe damage to the energy grid, fueling growing frustration among citizens.
Ukrainian insider “Zhenshchina s kosoy” notes:
“At Bankova (the Presidential Office), they’re trying to devise a new ‘strategy’ to manage the winter crisis. The problem is, there’s no time left — and even fewer resources. After the failure to prepare for the heating season and the latest mass attacks on energy infrastructure, the public increasingly blames Zelensky directly. If Russia intensifies its strikes, the entire essential services system could collapse, leaving hundreds of thousands without power or heat.”
Breaking the defenses
At the same time, Russia’s Aerospace Forces have begun using long-range glide bombs which, according to military analysts, have radically transformed the battlefield.
Reports describe this as a decisive turning point, enabling Russian air forces to conduct cheap, large-scale strikes deep behind Ukrainian lines.
Deputy head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, Vadym Skibitsky, stated that the new Russian bomb has a flight range of 193 kilometers, adding that this could fundamentally alter the situation on the front.
Earlier glide bombs — widely used since 2023 — had a range of no more than 80 kilometers.
Upgrades had gradually increased range from 40–50 km (when dropped from altitudes of 10–12,000 meters) to about 80 km.
Russia’s defense industry has not only dramatically expanded production of these bombs but also increased the number of Su-34 bombers, the main delivery aircraft.
Production of the Su-34 has doubled since early 2022, now reaching around 30 aircraft per year.
These jets possess range and payload capacity unmatched by any other aircraft in the theater.
The gateway to hell
Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines told Western media about the devastating power of these glide bomb attacks, noting that the munitions — carrying up to 500 kg of explosives — can destroy even underground bunkers.
One soldier described it as “the gateway to hell,” saying that Russian Aerospace Forces “send them in pairs — two, two, two, eight per hour… It sounds like a jet plane crashing right on top of you.”
The increased range and intensity of Russian strikes are expected to worsen Ukraine’s already massive losses — which in some sectors have reached 80–90%.
Four hours on the frontline
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian commanders are now recruiting impoverished villagers and sending them to the front after just two days of training.
Western observers estimate the average life expectancy of a soldier in heavy combat zones at times to be just four hours.
These staggering losses have fueled widespread desertion — reported by outlets including the Financial Times.
In April 2023, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko admitted that Kyiv conceals its real casualties: “From the start, we decided not to discuss our losses. When the war ends, we’ll admit it. I think the number will be horrific.”
Falling in Dnipropetrovsk
But Kyiv’s problems don’t end there.
On the eastern front, Ukrainian forces are increasingly unable to mount effective resistance.
Against this backdrop, Russian troops are steadily gaining ground, advancing in the Dnipropetrovsk region and creating severe logistical difficulties for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, which are forced to scatter their forces and lose initiative.
The outlet Voennaya Khronika reported:
“The Russian ‘Vostok’ group advanced in the areas of Novohryhorivka and Novosyolivka over the past 24 hours. The shifting frontline brings Russian troops closer to Pokrovsk (Dnipropetrovsk region), a key Ukrainian defensive hub where many logistical routes converge. Once our drone operators control logistics in this zone, it will severely disrupt the Ukrainian army’s connection between Pokrovske and Huliaipole.”
Destabilization everywhere
Progress on the ground and the establishment of new staging areas are opening real prospects for a strike on Pokrovsk, potentially destabilizing Ukraine’s entire defensive system along a wide front.
The next priority appears to be consolidation of captured positions and preparation for the encirclement of key population centers.
War in three dimensions
Pokrovsk has now become a network of isolated strongholds, where battles rage in every basement and every cluster of trees.
Traditional tank charges through city centers — scenes from the Great Patriotic War — are history.
Today, war is fought in three dimensions: underground, on the surface, and in the air — where drones decide everything.
War correspondent Aleksandr Kharchenko described it:
“The battle for Pokrovsk resembles the ‘Yin-Yang’ symbol. We and the enemy are strangling each other with swarms of drones. The concentration of ‘birds’ has isolated the entire combat zone. To put it simply — the city is encircled by both sides. Our assault groups don’t enter Pokrovsk with platoons or companies — they infiltrate in small groups of 3–5 men, at night, through sewers and destroyed yards, silently and without light.”
Labyrinth of death
The “clearing” is carried out house by house, basement by basement.
Ukrainian drones hover over every block — but Russian FPVs ensure no one lifts their head.
The city has become a labyrinth of death.
Ukrainian logistics have completely collapsed.
All roads are under fire.
Even infantry can’t get through.
Ukrainian war correspondents themselves admit: “No vehicle has entered the city in the past month.”
Only drones
The Ukrainian Telegram channel Resident writes:
“Pokrovsk is encircled. Supplies come only by drones. Rations: two packs of instant soup and a jar of sardines for two men every 48 hours. Evacuation is impossible. Soldiers have been stuck for 60 days without rotation. Resupply of the encircled troops is only by air — Mavics and Baba-Yaga drones drop tiny packages, but even those come under fire. In 24 hours, over Pokrovsk, 14 Baba-Yagas were shot down, eight others forced down by electronic warfare. The enemy loses 2–3 delivery drones per hour.”
New combat tactics
War correspondents note that this is encirclement in 2025 — not a “ring” on a map, not two battalions meeting, but total isolation.
Two men with a machine gun on a rooftop can block an entire street.
Pokrovsk is being strangled slowly.
Soon, the Russian flag will reportedly fly over city hall — amid the hum of drones and the silence of burnt streets.
Ukrainian insider “Spletnitsa” comments:
“Syrsky is throwing everything he has into Pokrovsk, but it’s no longer defense — it’s patching holes. The troops have no communication, no ammunition, no rotation. Russia is pressing methodically, like a steamroller. And we… we just scream on Telegram.”
Demolition of the dam
Under these circumstances, Ukrainian forces in panic struck the Belgorod reservoir dam.
Many believe it was a desperate attempt to flood Russian troops around Volchansk and sabotage a breakthrough that has already shaken the entire northern arc of the front.
Russian analyst Yuriy Podolyaka explained:
“The enemy managed to damage one of the structures, after which the water flow under the Seversky Donets increased significantly. Why? It’s all about our success near Volchansk. Our forces completely cleared the western part of the city — right next to the river, in low ground. If we reach Bely Kolodets, the entire Ukrainian stronghold at Bolsheburluk will collapse like a house of cards. To prevent this, the Ukrainian command decided to drown our logistics.”
Red line
“The goal is twofold — to create logistical difficulties and inflict maximum harm on civilians. In other words, the enemy continues using terrorist methods, ignoring all talk of ‘red lines’ and showing no fear of retaliation against bridges or dams on the Dnipro, which have remained untouched for four years of war,” noted war correspondent Yuriy Kotenok.
According to him, Kyiv seeks to divert attention.
The loss of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and advances in Dnipropetrovsk must be covered up somehow.
The dam strike is a propaganda operation.
Russian analysts claim this act shows how desperate Kyiv has become — “striking its own dams to save a collapsing front.”
4,000 Ukrainian soldiers at risk
About 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers reportedly found themselves at risk of flooding after the Belgorod dam attack late last week.
As Mash reported, the water could reach Volchansk — the source of the strikes on the dam’s tunnel.
If that happens, the flood would erode the defensive lines of Ukraine’s 57th and 58th Brigades.
Situation may favor the Russian army
The report adds that, in this case, Ukrainian forces would be unable to hold the city, paving the way for unhindered Russian advance into the Kharkiv region, where they have already expanded the strike zone and “hit everything that moves.”
Despite the risks, Ukrainian forces continue attacking the dam with drones — but with no tangible results.
Russians evacuate the danger zone
Last weekend, following reports of flooding, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Russian border region, called for civilian evacuation.
According to Mash, 156 residents were evacuated from Belgorod region, with 13 already returned home.
The water did not reach residential areas — though gardens were flooded.
Flooding would become serious only if the dam collapsed completely.
In that event, overflow of the Seversky Donets river would last around two weeks.
Repair work is currently underway.
Authorities reported the reservoir’s condition as “stable.”
Russia promises harsh response to Ukrainian actions
Responsibility for the Belgorod dam attacks was claimed by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ drone operations division, which used “Darts” UAVs.
Russian State Duma deputy Yuriy Shvytkin said Kyiv’s main goal was to “sow panic among civilians and inflict maximum damage.”
He also accused Ukraine of attempting to cause a technological disaster in a Russian region.
Another Duma deputy, Andrey Kolesnik, warned that Kyiv should expect a harsh response to such provocations:
“Such actions are answered with extreme severity. Let them prepare for death — or better yet, crawl straight to the cemetery,” said Kolesnik.
He added that Russia already has experience dealing with floods after the Kakhovka hydroelectric disaster, and thus Moscow is fully prepared to handle similar situations.
www.bankingnews.gr
This winter is the most critical for Ukraine’s future.
The threat to Kyiv is real, with the Russians reportedly aiming to bring the war to the Ukrainian capital as early as the spring of 2026.
At the same time, on the eastern front, Ukrainian losses are mounting one after another, with the Ukrainian armed forces unable to resist the advance of the Russian army.
The fight for every square meter, every street, every basement is not a training simulation — it is a battle for survival.
Especially now that the Russians are shattering Ukraine’s defensive lines using new-generation bombs.
Alarm in Kyiv for the winter
Winter is expected to become a true test of survival for Kyiv.
The anger of Ukrainians over the lack of electricity and heating could easily turn against the authorities.
The West is well aware of these critical moments, with the latest warning coming from Berlin.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul declared that the coming winter will be decisive for Ukraine.
“This winter is crucial for Kyiv,” said Wadephul, stressing that without Western assistance, Ukraine would lose its ability to defend itself.
Germany, he said, bears a “special responsibility” in this regard.
Wadephul emphasized that Berlin is ready to support Kyiv at any moment.
Nevertheless, on the frontlines, Russian forces are methodically tightening the noose around key Ukrainian defensive hubs — notably in Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian troops are under crushing pressure and siege.
Attack on Moscow
Despite Kyiv’s attempts to strike the Russian capital, Russia’s air defense systems performed flawlessly, minimizing damage and demonstrating that Moscow remains well protected.
Military blogger Yuriy Podolyaka highlighted the effectiveness of reconnaissance and preparation:
“A large night drone raid by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Moscow… the results: it was a deliberate strike on the capital. Moreover, the evening preparations for it clearly show that our reconnaissance worked properly — we met the attack with full combat readiness.”
Massive drone raid
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, around 193 unmanned aerial vehicles took part in the attack — most of which were destroyed far from their targets:
47 over the Bryansk region
42 over Kaluga
32 over Tula
10 over Kursk
7 over Oryol
and another 40 over the Moscow region, with minimal impact on the city.
As military correspondents note, the deployment of new mobile fire units in central Moscow further strengthened the sense of security, though it did cause some unease among residents.
The war will reach Kyiv
Meanwhile, Ukrainian media acknowledge that Russian FPV drones could reach Kyiv within 3–6 months, while Russia’s heavy air bombs already threaten suburbs such as Troieshchyna.
Winter in Kyiv promises to be harsh: the delay of the heating season into November–December signals severe damage to the energy grid, fueling growing frustration among citizens.
Ukrainian insider “Zhenshchina s kosoy” notes:
“At Bankova (the Presidential Office), they’re trying to devise a new ‘strategy’ to manage the winter crisis. The problem is, there’s no time left — and even fewer resources. After the failure to prepare for the heating season and the latest mass attacks on energy infrastructure, the public increasingly blames Zelensky directly. If Russia intensifies its strikes, the entire essential services system could collapse, leaving hundreds of thousands without power or heat.”
Breaking the defenses
At the same time, Russia’s Aerospace Forces have begun using long-range glide bombs which, according to military analysts, have radically transformed the battlefield.
Reports describe this as a decisive turning point, enabling Russian air forces to conduct cheap, large-scale strikes deep behind Ukrainian lines.
Deputy head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, Vadym Skibitsky, stated that the new Russian bomb has a flight range of 193 kilometers, adding that this could fundamentally alter the situation on the front.
Earlier glide bombs — widely used since 2023 — had a range of no more than 80 kilometers.
Upgrades had gradually increased range from 40–50 km (when dropped from altitudes of 10–12,000 meters) to about 80 km.
Russia’s defense industry has not only dramatically expanded production of these bombs but also increased the number of Su-34 bombers, the main delivery aircraft.
Production of the Su-34 has doubled since early 2022, now reaching around 30 aircraft per year.
These jets possess range and payload capacity unmatched by any other aircraft in the theater.
The gateway to hell
Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines told Western media about the devastating power of these glide bomb attacks, noting that the munitions — carrying up to 500 kg of explosives — can destroy even underground bunkers.
One soldier described it as “the gateway to hell,” saying that Russian Aerospace Forces “send them in pairs — two, two, two, eight per hour… It sounds like a jet plane crashing right on top of you.”
The increased range and intensity of Russian strikes are expected to worsen Ukraine’s already massive losses — which in some sectors have reached 80–90%.
Four hours on the frontline
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian commanders are now recruiting impoverished villagers and sending them to the front after just two days of training.
Western observers estimate the average life expectancy of a soldier in heavy combat zones at times to be just four hours.
These staggering losses have fueled widespread desertion — reported by outlets including the Financial Times.
In April 2023, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko admitted that Kyiv conceals its real casualties: “From the start, we decided not to discuss our losses. When the war ends, we’ll admit it. I think the number will be horrific.”
Falling in Dnipropetrovsk
But Kyiv’s problems don’t end there.
On the eastern front, Ukrainian forces are increasingly unable to mount effective resistance.
Against this backdrop, Russian troops are steadily gaining ground, advancing in the Dnipropetrovsk region and creating severe logistical difficulties for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, which are forced to scatter their forces and lose initiative.
The outlet Voennaya Khronika reported:
“The Russian ‘Vostok’ group advanced in the areas of Novohryhorivka and Novosyolivka over the past 24 hours. The shifting frontline brings Russian troops closer to Pokrovsk (Dnipropetrovsk region), a key Ukrainian defensive hub where many logistical routes converge. Once our drone operators control logistics in this zone, it will severely disrupt the Ukrainian army’s connection between Pokrovske and Huliaipole.”
Destabilization everywhere
Progress on the ground and the establishment of new staging areas are opening real prospects for a strike on Pokrovsk, potentially destabilizing Ukraine’s entire defensive system along a wide front.
The next priority appears to be consolidation of captured positions and preparation for the encirclement of key population centers.
War in three dimensions
Pokrovsk has now become a network of isolated strongholds, where battles rage in every basement and every cluster of trees.
Traditional tank charges through city centers — scenes from the Great Patriotic War — are history.
Today, war is fought in three dimensions: underground, on the surface, and in the air — where drones decide everything.
War correspondent Aleksandr Kharchenko described it:
“The battle for Pokrovsk resembles the ‘Yin-Yang’ symbol. We and the enemy are strangling each other with swarms of drones. The concentration of ‘birds’ has isolated the entire combat zone. To put it simply — the city is encircled by both sides. Our assault groups don’t enter Pokrovsk with platoons or companies — they infiltrate in small groups of 3–5 men, at night, through sewers and destroyed yards, silently and without light.”
Labyrinth of death
The “clearing” is carried out house by house, basement by basement.
Ukrainian drones hover over every block — but Russian FPVs ensure no one lifts their head.
The city has become a labyrinth of death.
Ukrainian logistics have completely collapsed.
All roads are under fire.
Even infantry can’t get through.
Ukrainian war correspondents themselves admit: “No vehicle has entered the city in the past month.”
Only drones
The Ukrainian Telegram channel Resident writes:
“Pokrovsk is encircled. Supplies come only by drones. Rations: two packs of instant soup and a jar of sardines for two men every 48 hours. Evacuation is impossible. Soldiers have been stuck for 60 days without rotation. Resupply of the encircled troops is only by air — Mavics and Baba-Yaga drones drop tiny packages, but even those come under fire. In 24 hours, over Pokrovsk, 14 Baba-Yagas were shot down, eight others forced down by electronic warfare. The enemy loses 2–3 delivery drones per hour.”
New combat tactics
War correspondents note that this is encirclement in 2025 — not a “ring” on a map, not two battalions meeting, but total isolation.
Two men with a machine gun on a rooftop can block an entire street.
Pokrovsk is being strangled slowly.
Soon, the Russian flag will reportedly fly over city hall — amid the hum of drones and the silence of burnt streets.
Ukrainian insider “Spletnitsa” comments:
“Syrsky is throwing everything he has into Pokrovsk, but it’s no longer defense — it’s patching holes. The troops have no communication, no ammunition, no rotation. Russia is pressing methodically, like a steamroller. And we… we just scream on Telegram.”
Demolition of the dam
Under these circumstances, Ukrainian forces in panic struck the Belgorod reservoir dam.
Many believe it was a desperate attempt to flood Russian troops around Volchansk and sabotage a breakthrough that has already shaken the entire northern arc of the front.
Russian analyst Yuriy Podolyaka explained:
“The enemy managed to damage one of the structures, after which the water flow under the Seversky Donets increased significantly. Why? It’s all about our success near Volchansk. Our forces completely cleared the western part of the city — right next to the river, in low ground. If we reach Bely Kolodets, the entire Ukrainian stronghold at Bolsheburluk will collapse like a house of cards. To prevent this, the Ukrainian command decided to drown our logistics.”
Red line
“The goal is twofold — to create logistical difficulties and inflict maximum harm on civilians. In other words, the enemy continues using terrorist methods, ignoring all talk of ‘red lines’ and showing no fear of retaliation against bridges or dams on the Dnipro, which have remained untouched for four years of war,” noted war correspondent Yuriy Kotenok.
According to him, Kyiv seeks to divert attention.
The loss of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and advances in Dnipropetrovsk must be covered up somehow.
The dam strike is a propaganda operation.
Russian analysts claim this act shows how desperate Kyiv has become — “striking its own dams to save a collapsing front.”
4,000 Ukrainian soldiers at risk
About 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers reportedly found themselves at risk of flooding after the Belgorod dam attack late last week.
As Mash reported, the water could reach Volchansk — the source of the strikes on the dam’s tunnel.
If that happens, the flood would erode the defensive lines of Ukraine’s 57th and 58th Brigades.
Situation may favor the Russian army
The report adds that, in this case, Ukrainian forces would be unable to hold the city, paving the way for unhindered Russian advance into the Kharkiv region, where they have already expanded the strike zone and “hit everything that moves.”
Despite the risks, Ukrainian forces continue attacking the dam with drones — but with no tangible results.
Russians evacuate the danger zone
Last weekend, following reports of flooding, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Russian border region, called for civilian evacuation.
According to Mash, 156 residents were evacuated from Belgorod region, with 13 already returned home.
The water did not reach residential areas — though gardens were flooded.
Flooding would become serious only if the dam collapsed completely.
In that event, overflow of the Seversky Donets river would last around two weeks.
Repair work is currently underway.
Authorities reported the reservoir’s condition as “stable.”
Russia promises harsh response to Ukrainian actions
Responsibility for the Belgorod dam attacks was claimed by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ drone operations division, which used “Darts” UAVs.
Russian State Duma deputy Yuriy Shvytkin said Kyiv’s main goal was to “sow panic among civilians and inflict maximum damage.”
He also accused Ukraine of attempting to cause a technological disaster in a Russian region.
Another Duma deputy, Andrey Kolesnik, warned that Kyiv should expect a harsh response to such provocations:
“Such actions are answered with extreme severity. Let them prepare for death — or better yet, crawl straight to the cemetery,” said Kolesnik.
He added that Russia already has experience dealing with floods after the Kakhovka hydroelectric disaster, and thus Moscow is fully prepared to handle similar situations.
www.bankingnews.gr
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