Ukrainian intelligence officials say the modified KAB series, once limited to roughly 80km, is now striking deep into Odesa, Mykolayiv and Poltava regions and around Kharkiv.

The shift comes as Russia escalates attacks on energy infrastructure ahead of winter, while U.S.-led diplomacy stalls and Washington under the Trump administration signals that European partners should shoulder more of Kyiv’s defense burden.

Jet Engines Extend KAB Strikes

Ukrainian officials say some KAB bombs now carry small turbojets, pushing their range towards 200km when launched from Su-34 aircraft flying over Russian-controlled airspace or the Black Sea.

Previously, wing-equipped KABs guided by kits added in 2023 could glide “dozens of kilometres,” with typical ranges up to 80km. These 250kg to 3-tonne munitions have carved craters roughly 20 meters wide and 6 meters deep in frontline communities.

Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Serhiy Beskrestnov published images of one impact in Poltava region that appeared to show a Chinese-made turbojet reportedly available for about $18,000 on Alibaba, underscoring how commercially sourced components are feeding into Russia’s strike complex.

Cheap Cruise Missile Substitute

Military analyst Pavlo Narozhny described the jet-powered KABs as a “cheap substitute for a cruise missile,” aimed at “the same targets: energy infrastructure and military targets.”

Regional officials reported that a UMPB-5R variant hit Lozova, a railway hub in Kharkiv region, after flying about 140km and detonating in a residential area, injuring six people and damaging 11 buildings.

Ukraine’s air force also tracked a jet-propelled bomb launched toward Berestyn, roughly 125km from the Russian border, and said some strikes on southern regions originated from jets operating over the Black Sea.

Another reported system, the Grom-E1, updates an existing Grom glide munition, with officials noting that its performance can be “roughly compared” to a cruise missile, though they stress Russia is still testing these weapons rather than fielding them at scale.

Air Defenses Under Growing Strain

Ukrainian spokespeople highlight trade-offs: adding a jet engine reduces payloads to around 250kg and may power only part of a bomb’s flight, but allows launch aircraft to stay deeper in protected airspace, complicating interception.

Kyiv says electronic warfare and surface-to-air missiles can still down the bombs, yet available systems are thinly stretched by near-nightly missile and drone waves.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently confirmed new U.S. Patriot batteries supplied via Germany, saying Ukraine needs a “multi-component air defence system” as Russia upgrades ballistic missiles to outmaneuver even Patriot interceptors.

Interception rates for Russian missiles reportedly fell from about 37 percent in summer to 6 percent in September, while Shahed-type drones — now flying faster and higher — saw downing rates slide from 97 percent in February to 80 percent last month, according to Ukrainian and independent monitoring data.

Upgraded Drones And Cost Imbalance

Analysts warn that if Moscow can scale production of jet-KABs and upgraded Shahed drones, the economics will further tilt against Kyiv.

Russian glide bombs and loitering munitions are significantly cheaper than the Western-supplied interceptors used to stop them, raising concerns that Ukraine may face a growing cost-imposition problem just as winter energy strikes intensify.