Key facts
- Russia is significantly expanding glide-bomb production, indicating sustained offensive operations in Ukraine.
- In 2025, Russia procured enough servo drives to manufacture 139,000 glide bombs.
- CED Sail LLC, a key supplier of servo drives, is not currently subject to Western sanctions.
- The report identifies a network of companies importing components for UMPK and UMPB glide bomb kits.
- Many entities involved in glide bomb production are unsanctioned, allowing Russia to procure components with few restrictions.
- Four Chinese companies are identified as critical to the supply chain, with only one subject to U.S. export restrictions.
Russia is significantly expanding its production of glide bombs, signaling its intent to sustain high-intensity offensive operations in Ukraine, according to a report by the Kyiv-based think tank Center for Defense Reforms. The report, exclusively shared with the Kyiv Independent, indicates that in 2025, Russia procured nearly 278,000 servo drives, sufficient for manufacturing 139,000 glide bombs.
The report identifies CED Sail LLC as a key Russian supplier of servo drives that is not currently under Western sanctions. It also highlights a network of interconnected Russian companies responsible for importing essential components and raw materials for UMPK and UMPB glide bomb kits. These kits convert older, unguided bombs into precision-guided weapons, increasing their range and accuracy, allowing Russian aircraft to operate outside Ukrainian air defense range.
Many entities involved in the production of these glide bombs remain unsanctioned, with four Chinese companies identified as critical to the supply chain. The report assesses that this "uneven sanctions coverage" allows Russia to continue procuring necessary components without significant restrictions. Ukrainian military intelligence has previously identified foreign components from the U.S., Japan, China, Switzerland, and Taiwan in Russian glide bombs.