In a daring move to disrupt Russia's glide-bombing campaign, Ukrainian forces launched a massive attack on Kushchyovskaya air base in southern Russia on Saturday. The targeted strike successfully destroyed a shed filled with KAB glide bombs, causing significant damage to the base and potentially impacting the Russian air force's ability to carry out their bombing missions.

Video footage and satellite imagery from the aftermath of the attack revealed the extent of the destruction, with burned buildings and heaps of wrecked KABs littering the area. There were even indications that at least one Sukhoi Su-34 fighter bomber, the primary carrier of KABs, may have been destroyed during the raid.

While it is clear that one attack alone will not shift the balance of power in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry stressed the importance of disrupting Russian tactical air capabilities, particularly the use of glide bombs. "Ukraine's ability to disrupt Russian tactical air, particularly glide-bomb usage, is key to the wider defense of the front line," the ministry stated.

The KAB glide bomb has become a primary aerial munition for the Russian air force since last year. With a range of 25 miles, they give Russian jets an advantage by keeping them outside the reach of Ukrainian air defenses. Each KAB carries hundreds of pounds of explosives, capable of creating deep craters upon impact.

The Ukrainian analysis group, Deep State, referred to the KAB as a "miracle weapon" for the Russians, emphasizing that the Ukrainians currently lack effective countermeasures. However, the recent attack on the shed storing the bombs demonstrated a possible strategy for the Ukrainians - targeting the infrastructure.

The exact type of drones used in the attack on Kushchyovskaya remains uncertain. Ukraine possesses a variety of options, including ex-Soviet spy drones with warheads, modified hobby drones fitted with explosives, and pilotless sport planes carrying bombs. The volume of drones used in the operation was significant, with the Kremlin reporting the downing of 66 drones during the raid.

Although not all drones were intercepted, at least one managed to strike the main target - the shed housing the KAB glide bombs. This successful destruction potentially provided a brief respite for Ukrainian forces on the front line from the relentless glide-bombing campaign.

To significantly constrain the bombings in the long term, multiple raids on various bases will be needed. It remains to be seen whether Ukraine's strike drones will now include the KAB infrastructure as a repeat target. Currently, these drones are already targeting Russian oil refineries and weapons factories.

The level of Ukrainian drone production is a crucial factor in their ability to sustain such attacks. According to Mykhailo Fedorov, overseeing Ukraine's high-tech war industries, there are currently 10 companies producing thousands of long-range drones annually. This suggests the potential for weekly raids on the scale of the recent Kushchyovskaya attack.

As Ukraine continues to increase its financing for drone production, the strategic use of these aerial assets could prove critical in disrupting Russian military operations and strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities.