Russia Floods with Inaccurate 'Meongteongguri Bombs'... Civilian Casualties Mount

'Mentunguri Bomb', No Target Tracking Function
Civilian Casualties Continue in Mariupol and Other Areas

On the 12th (local time), a satellite image captured the industrial complex in the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol engulfed in flames due to an airstrike by Russian forces. Photo by Maxar Technologies·EPA Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] More than two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, it has been reported that the Russian military heavily relies on old-fashioned conventional "dumb bombs." Dumb bombs are weapons without guidance systems to track targets, making them highly prone to accidental strikes.

As a result, there are concerns that the Russian military may be indiscriminately bombing not only soldiers but also civilians. Although the Russian military claims to have precisely targeted only military facilities in Ukraine, this appears to be untrue.

According to foreign media including the US CNN on the 12th (local time), Russia claimed on the 11th that it had conducted attacks using "precision-guided long-range weapons" in central and western Ukraine.

However, Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, Director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified before Congress that "only a portion of the weapons used by the Russian military are precision-guided."

Western intelligence agencies have offered various interpretations as to why the Russian military is using unguided munitions. One possibility is that Russia has adopted a war strategy that produces a high number of civilian casualties. Disregarding international condemnation, they are indiscriminately bombing both military and civilian targets to quickly neutralize Ukrainian resistance.

Amid this, indirect testimony has emerged suggesting that the Russian military has ordered frontline soldiers to attack without distinguishing civilians, sparking controversy.

A woman who was shot by Russian forces while attempting to cross the Ukrainian border claimed in an interview with US NBC News that she received emergency treatment after asking the Russian soldier who shot her for help. She added that the soldier apologized and said, "I was ordered to shoot anything that moves."

Meanwhile, there is analysis that Russia is conserving advanced weapons for the latter stages of this war or in preparation for possible escalation against other European countries or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Meanwhile, Mariupol, a major port city in Ukraine, has been experiencing the worst conditions since the early days of the Russian invasion. The Russian military has isolated the city by blocking and sealing off its roads.

In particular, the Russian military has prevented the delivery of food, water, and medicine to the city, leaving civilians trapped in the urban area unable to evacuate. The Mariupol mayor's office reports that at least 1,500 civilians have died since the Russian attacks began.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a video address on the 12th, urged the cessation of attacks on civilians, stating, "The Russian military is bombing Mariupol 24 hours a day and even firing missiles. This is a hate crime. They are killing children as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.