A week after Ukrainian brigades attacked Russia's Kursk region, the Russian air force sent a large part of its fleet to attack Ukrainian troops – dropping up to 50 KAB bombs a day on bases in Ukraine's Suma region, on the border with Russia's Kursk.

That's about half the amount that the Russian Air Force typically drops every day along the entire front line in the war in Ukraine. But Ukraine also has an air force, as well as satellite-guided glide bombs, at least as accurate as the Russians. On Tuesday, the first video appeared on the Internet purportedly showing Ukrainian planes dropping American JDAM bombs on targets in Kursk, Forbes reports.

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Ukrainian aviation joined the operation in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation - Forbes

The first videos have appeared online allegedly showing Ukrainian fighters dropping American JDAM glide bombs on targets in the Kursk region. Su-27s were used not F-16s. pic.twitter.com/HBGClDoc1k

— Military Nerd (@MilitaryNerdd) August 14, 2024

The risk to planes flying over Kursk is great

The Ukrainian plane reportedly hit the Russian command center in the village of Tetkino, a few kilometers north of the front line in Kursk. They appear to be carrying out the attacks with outdated Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 jets, rather than some of the F-16s that Ukraine recently received from Denmark.

Although the F-16s are compatible with JDAM bombs, there is evidence that the Ukrainian Air Force plans, at least initially, to use these mobile fighter jets for aerial patrols rather than for dangerous strikes, Index reports.

The risk to planes flying over Kursk is great. The Ukrainian military has moved a "significant amount" of air defense systems into the area, Russian military bloggers claim - as well as electronic jamming devices that can jam radio signals and, in some cases, even drop satellite-guided bombs.

Pilots fly low

With a lot of help from explosive drones, Ukrainian systems managed to shoot down several Russian helicopters. Retaliating to the attacks, the Russian artillery damaged a Ukrainian Buk anti-aircraft vehicle.

Russia has deployed strong air defenses around Kursk. A Ukrainian Su-27 was spotted flying just a hundred meters above the ground after dropping a bomb, and that's no accident. Pilots on both sides fly as low as possible, as often as they can, to remain invisible to enemy radars.

Major attack on Russian military airfields

The battlefield in Russia's Kursk region continues to heat up. Ukraine attacked four Russian military airfields in the regions of Voronezh, Kursk and Nizhny Novgorod, the Ukrainian army announced yesterday. Su-34, Su-35 and other military aircraft of the enemy are located at these airports, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. The main targets were fuel depots and aircraft.

Ukrainian forces captured the Russian town of Vnezapnoe, Kursk Oblast, further solidifying the western flank of their offensive.

Seen here, a Ukrainian soldier removes the Russian flag from the Vnezapnoe House of Culture. pic.twitter.com/mqmQWOImhc

- OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 14, 2024

Satellite images from the last few days show that Russia has dug a large trench near the city of Ligovo in the Kursk region. The photos published by the Makar company show different parts of the trench that runs parallel to the E38 highway and the railway line. Ljgov is about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Allegedly, the Ukrainian army came within 40 kilometers of the city.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday called on allies to allow long-range weapons attacks on targets in Russia. "The bolder the decisions of our allies, the less Putin can do," he said. The Ukrainian president welcomed Ukraine's "good progress" in Russia's Kursk region and added that Kiev is achieving its strategic goal.