A KUB-BLA loitering munition during test. Source: the ZALA Aero Group.
The Russian military continues to use KUB-BLA loitering munitions to hunt down the equipment and personnel of Kiev forces.
On May 25, Russian sources released footage showing a pinpoint strike with a KUB-BLA loitering munition on a gathering of Kiev troops near the town of Pavlivka in the Donbass region. At least nine troops were killed in the strike, which took place on May 8.
The KUB-BLA was designed by the ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Concern. The loitering munition has an endurance of 30 minutes and a speed of up to 130 kilometers per hour. The munition is armed with a high explosive-fragmentation warhead that weights three kilograms. The warhead is equipped with a proximity fuze.
Click to see full-size image.
The Russian military has been using KUB-BLA loitering munitions against Kiev forces since the beginning of its special military operation in Ukraine.
The KUB-BLA allows the Russian military to engage targets located behind the line of sight with high precision on a short notice. The loitering munition is not only highly effective, but cheap and easy to manufacture.
It’s worth noting that the KUB-BLA is not the only loitering munition in service with the Russian military. The ZALA Aero Group developed a more sophisticated loitering munition with the ability to detect, track and engage moving targets dubbed Lancet. This loitering munition has not been spotted in Ukraine, yet
