Ukraine war: expert explains Russia's two most destructive weapons - and Putin's great frustration
Created: 05/03/2022 14:23
By: Anna-Katharina Ahnefeld
political scientist dr.
In the Ippen interview, Frank Sauer talks about Putin's nuclear weapons threat and the possible use of vacuum bombs.
Munich/Kyiv – Bombs on Ukrainian cities: Russia continues its invasion in the Ukraine war.
Ukraine* has accused Russian troops of using a so-called vacuum bomb in attacks.
"They used a vacuum bomb today, which is prohibited under the Geneva Convention," Ukraine's ambassador to the US said earlier in the week.
The information cannot currently be verified.
The Ippen central editorial team has Dr.
Frank Sauer from the University of Political Science in Munich and an expert in international politics and security spoke about the Ukraine war*.
The political scientist specializes in military weapon systems and explains in an interview about the war criminal use of vacuum bombs in urban areas.
Ippen interview with security expert Dr.
Frank Sauer on Russian weapons in the Ukraine war.
©screenshot
Ukraine war: Weapons expert Sauer on the possibility of Russian use of nuclear bombs
Regarding the possibility of Russian use of nuclear weapons, Sauer replies: "It's all part of Putin's political signalling.
In principle, Putin pointed to his nuclear weapons arsenal, clearly visible to the West, and said, please don't forget, I still have those.
"
The purpose of this is to try to dissuade the West from further sanctions and arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Ukraine war: Weapons system expert talks about Putin's frustration - "Things are not going as planned"
Putin's actions should be understood as a kind of "deterrent signal", explains Dr.
Frank Sauer in the Ippen interview.
However:
"It also speaks of Putin's frustration*, which is now quite significant because things are not going as planned,"
the political scientist analyzes the developments in the Ukraine war.
(An interview with an Eastern Europe expert: Correspondent Aleksandra Fedorska talks about Russia's President Vladimir Putin, the dramatic border situation and European unity.)
According to Sauer, it cannot be confirmed at this time whether Russia* actually used vacuum bombs in the Ukraine war.
However, the weapons expert considers it plausible that this weapon has already been used.
It is certain that these weapon systems have already been sighted on Ukrainian soil.
He explained the destructive effect of vacuum bombs to
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
"Specifically, I'm thinking of this TOS-1 multiple rocket launcher, which fires rockets with thermobaric warheads
," says Dr.
Angry.
Ukraine News: Use of vacuum bombs – “almost inevitably a war crime”
“These weapons work differently than conventional explosives.
You have to imagine it as a gigantic explosion that generates enormous heat and a very strong pressure wave," explains the political scientist from the Bundeswehr University.
This process therefore has a
"terrible effect on all non-armored targets"
.
Like people or civil infrastructure.
The TOS-1 Buratino multiple rocket launcher during an exercise in a military area in Russia.
© Rogulin Dmitry/dpa
Used in urban terrain,
"such weapons are almost inevitably a war crime
. "
Due to the area effect, it is impossible to take targeted action only against militarily legitimate targets.
This means that if you decide to use the so-called vacuum bombs, you knowingly accept the loss of civilian casualties.
"It really is the height of irresponsibility to shoot at urban areas with something like that,"
says Sauer.
(aka)
*
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