In the war against Ukraine, the Russian military is also relying on aerosol weapons. Their further development and defense are a race for time.
Moscow – The history of the use of thermobaric weapons extends back to the Cold War: the USA used them in North Vietnam, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Russia also discovered the destructive explosive devices in the Ukraine war - with devastating consequences for the intended targets.
According to the principle, thermobaric weapons ignite an aerosol cloud that has previously been released. A fireball with a pressure wave is followed by a negative pressure in which the air flows back into the center of the explosion. Aerosol particles that have not yet been ignited are sucked back in, penetrate everything that is not hermetically sealed and burn it.
Long range: Russia can drop thermobaric weapons without danger
The Russian army's repertoire includes various types of thermobaric weapons - from hand grenades and flamethrowers with thermobaric ammunition to heavy bombs, the
Kyiv Post
reports. The heaviest bomb to date weighed 1,500 kilograms (ODAB-1500). According to the head of Ukrainian military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, Russia dropped them on the village of Velyka Pysarivka in Sumy Oblast. The fireball from this bomb could reach a height of up to 60 meters and was seen from neighboring villages and towns.
In addition to the ODAB-1500, the Russian military has
also deployed lighter ODAB-250 (250 kg) and ODAB-500 (500 kg), according to
the Kyiv Post
. The army also gives the thermobaric bombs wings for stabilization and navigation aids. The long range of the missiles also enables the attacker to avoid being targeted by the Ukrainian air defense when they are launched. According to
the
Kyiv Post
, experts warn that Russia could soon start using 3,000 kilogram bombs (ODAB-3000).
Russia is developing a new rocket launcher
Another type of thermobaric weapon used by Russia in the war against Ukraine is the TOS rocket launchers. The TOS-1 Buratino was originally developed for the Soviet Army as a heavy multiple flamethrower with thermobaric warheads. Further variants followed: in 2001 the TOS-1 Solnzepjok version and in 2020 TOS-2 Tosochka, the latter not mounted on a tank but on a truck. After the first three generations, Russia is now said to be developing a TOS 3 system called “Dragon”, which will be installed on a tank again.
Thermobaric ammunition can also be used with grenade launchers for simple infantry units. The Russian military uses the RPG-7, RPG-32, RShG-1 and RShG-2 grenade launchers for this purpose, reports the
Kyiv Post
.
In the fight against Russia's bombs: Ukraine hopes for a new air defense system
In contrast, the Ukrainian military's access to thermobaric ammunition is limited. However, Ukraine inherited a certain amount for use in grenade launchers, flamethrowers and multiple rocket launchers from the Soviet Union, reports the
Kyiv Post
. In 2019, the country also began using the newly developed thermobaric hand grenades RGT-27S and RGT-27S2.
In the war against Russia, the military is now also hoping for the SAMP-T or “Mamba” air defense system with a range of up to 600 kilometers. It is part of the arsenal of both the French and Italian armed forces and is similar to the Patriot system, which only has a range of 160 kilometers and is used by Germany and the USA.
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