Deadly attack in Zaporizhzia highlights risk to civilians from “glide bombs”, say UN Human Rights monitors

On 6 December, aerial glide bombs struck a car repair shop in Zaporizhzhia city, reportedly killing ten civilians and injuring 24, including three children. The blast wave and debris also damaged high-rise buildings, private homes, and shops. Aerial bombs usually carry large amounts of explosive material, making them highly destructive.

“Yesterday’s attack in Zaporizhzhia is a clear example of why weapons with large amounts of explosive material should not be used in populated areas,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. “When they are, they will cause civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.”

From September to November, aerial bombs killed 108 civilians and injured 755 in Ukraine, accounting for 25 per cent of all civilian casualties in the period. For example, on 7 November, aerial glide bombs struck several residential areas in Zaporizhzhia city, killing at least nine civilians and injuring 42. One bomb struck an apartment building. Another bomb hit an oncology center where cancer patients were undergoing chemotherapy at the time, causing severe damage to the facility and injuries to staff and patients. The number of civilian casualties from aerial bombs has significantly increased compared with last year.

According to HRMMU’s verified data, aerial bombs killed 341 civilians and injured 1,803 from 1 January through 30 November 2024, a threefold increase in fatalities and a sixfold increase in injuries from aerial bombs compared to 2023. The increase in the number of civilian casualties from such weapons in 2024 is the result of modifications that make aerial bombs glide instead of falling which extends their range. As a result, aerial bombs have struck cities further from the frontline. HRMMU documented civilian casualties from such bombs for the first time in Kharkiv city in early 2024, in Sumy city and region in August 2024, and in Zaporizhzhia city in September 2024.

“The glider modifications have allowed Russian armed forces to use powerful aerial bombs in cities previously unreachable with such weapons”, said Bell. “As a result, civilians in major Ukrainian cities, such as Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia, now face unprecedented threats, with highly destructive consequences”.