The moment Russia fires devastating TOS-1A thermobaric missiles at Ukrainian troops as desperate generals try to salvage the raging Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine
- Video shows Russians firing thermobaric missiles at Ukrainian-controlled land
- Thermobaric weapons release a combustible vapor before igniting it
- This causes a wave-like explosion that can vaporize bodies in the vicinity of the blast, destroying buildings or rupturing human organs in the blast
- But unlike cluster bombs, their use is not prohibited under international law
A new video shows the Russians once again deploying wave-type thermobaric missiles capable of penetrating human organs in Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Footage shared on Telegram channels and by defense expert Rob Lee appears to be from a Russian UAV drone.
Dozens of the weapons were fired, trailing smoke as they flew through the air toward what appeared to be inhabited targets.
The earth around the launch vehicle then catches fire.
Mr. Lee tweeted: ‘Russian Orlan-10 UAV footage reportedly shows TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS attacks on Ukrainian positions.’
Thermobaric bombs, also known as fuel-air bombs, are far more devastating than conventional explosives.
Unlike cluster bombs, however, they are not prohibited under international law as long as they are not used against civilians.
Footage shows Russian forces bombarding Ukrainian territory with the devastating missiles
When a thermobaric charge is deployed, the initial explosion emits a highly flammable fuel vapor
The fireball they cause can melt through defenses and vaporize bodies near the blast
Thermobaric bombs work in two stages. When a charge is deployed, the first explosion sprays a fuel vapor throughout the area.
A second explosion then ignites the vapor cloud in the air.
This results in a massive explosion that sets off a high-temperature fireball that sucks out the oxygen in the area and creates a massive blast wave.
The fireball can melt through defenses and vaporize bodies in the vicinity of the blast, while the high-pressure blast can destroy buildings and rupture human organs.
The footage appeared as Western military sources compared Putin’s role in the invasion of Ukraine to that of a brigadier or general.
They also said that General Valery Gerasimov directs the war to the smallest detail, which would normally be overseen by a colonel.
The source added that the Russian battalion’s tactical group had been “battered,” stating that “if Putin is doing the job of a brigade commander,” then “he could be dealing with a force that might be as small as 700-1,000 troops.” .
Putin’s soldiers have so far missed their military targets in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are trying to break through to encircle Ukrainian troops in the Donbass region.
Officials believe Putin’s decision to take personal control of troop movements on the ground could contribute to the military failures.