After four years of war, Ukraine finds the answer to one of Russia's most destructive weapons

From Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia to Kherson, Russian glide bombs have destroyed entire city neighborhoods in Ukraine. These weapons are relatively cheap to produce, and so far Western air defense systems have not found a way to neutralize them.

After more than four years without an effective response to one of the most destructive weapons on the battlefield, Ukraine last week unveiled its own version of the glide bomb, called Virivnyach, or "Equalizer," writes the Telegraph.

Russian glide bombs are essentially Soviet-era munitions equipped with free-range guidance systems that turn older unguided bombs into precision weapons. They can be launched from Russian airspace, beyond the reach of Ukrainian defenses.

Protected by anti-aircraft systems, these bombs can travel tens of kilometers to the target and have enough explosive power to destroy entire buildings or fortified military positions.

“Almost all Ukrainian artillery positions on the front line are at risk of being destroyed,” said Christoph Bergs, an analyst at the Royal Institute for Defence Studies (RUSI). “FPV drones and tactical drones can hit targets, but they do not have the destructive power of a 250- or 500-kilogram bomb.”

The Ukrainian “equalizer” was developed over 17 months and is considered one of the most significant additions to the country’s arsenal since the start of the war. With its introduction, Kiev is sending a clear message that it is no longer willing to wait for its Western allies to provide it with every weapon it needs.

“For a long time there was virtually no protection against Russian glide bombs, which contributed significantly to the high Ukrainian casualties on the front line,” added Keir Giles, an expert on Russia and Eurasia at Chatham House. “The development of a similar capability by Ukraine could accelerate efforts to push back Russian forces.”

Virivnyach carries a warhead weighing about 227 kilograms. The Ukrainian national platform for defense technologies, Brave1, emphasizes that the weapon “is not a copy of Western or Soviet systems” and that it has passed all necessary tests.

According to experts, the system is designed to be used with Ukraine's existing air fleet, including F-16 aircraft, although additional certifications are required before operational use. It features precision targeting systems and advanced guidance algorithms designed to evade Russian electronic jamming.

This would enable Ukraine to strike targets deeper inside Russian territory and use its stockpiles of Soviet-era aerial bombs, similar to what Russia did during 2023.

However, the limitations remain significant. Russia drops its bombs from altitudes of 6000 to 7500 meters, within its own airspace, achieving maximum range and high accuracy. Meanwhile, Ukrainian aircraft are forced to fly at lower altitudes to evade Russian air defenses, which significantly reduces the range of their bombs.

For this reason, Virivnyach is not expected to single-handedly change the course of the war. But as part of a growing arsenal of Ukrainian-made weapons – including Flamingo missiles and long-range drones that can reach Moscow – it represents a new point of pressure on Russia.

Experts emphasize that the outcome of the war will not be decided by a single weapon, but by the combined weight of many different military systems operating together.