A terrifying video is doing the rounds on social media showing a barrage of thermobaric rockets around 20 fired from giant TOS-1A launchers descending upon Ukrainian armed forces positions.
More than 20 hits with thermobaric missiles hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired from TOS-1 launchers. They are infamous for the widespread devastation they create due to their ability to tear through human organs.
The recent footage shared on a Russian Telegram channel appears to be captured by a Russian soldiers
In the 48-second clip, roughly a dozen rockets can be seen striking a small cluster of low-rise buildings reportedly in the eastern Donbas region.
20 hits with thermobaric missiles hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. #ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar #Russia pic.twitter.com/KPM4sDQOyj
— The foxbat (@IndiandefenceNS) August 22, 2022
In less than a minute, the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were subjected to severe blows using heavy flamethrower systems TOS-1. On video footage published by Russian military correspondents, you can see how the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are literally burned out by two dozen hits of thermobaric ammunition. As a result of the strongest strikes on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it was possible to successfully clear the settlement of Peski from Ukrainian military formations
On the presented video frames, you can see how at least 20 hits with thermobaric ammunition fall on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in less than a minute. The explosion of one such missile covers a huge area, leaving no chance for either manpower or military equipment. Considering that in a matter of seconds two dozen strikes were brought down on a small area, the losses here reached a critical indicator for Kyiv.
Experts note that the Russian heavy flamethrower systems TOS-1 have successfully proven themselves in the assault on the fortified positions of the Ukrainian military, since the relatively short range of strikes is more than offset by the firepower of these systems, which, by the way, if necessary, can bring down strikes on enemy positions practically non-stop.
TOS-1A Thermobaric MLRS
The TOS-1A is a Soviet-era Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) system capable of firing thermobaric warheads. The surface-to-surface missile was first designed in the 1980s to attack fortified positions and destroy light armored vehicles.
The system is made of three components. The first is the BM-1 combat vehicle, a modified T-71A tank chassis that is fitted with a rotating rocket launcher on the top of the tank. It can store a total of 24 unguided thermobaric rockets, which can be fired in up to 12 seconds.
The TOS1-A is supported by TZM-5 re-supply vehicles. Each of the re-supply vehicles can carry up to 24 rockets and as much as 400 liters of fuel.
The TOS-1A can fire two kinds of rockets – the MO.1.01.04 and the MO.1.01.04M. The first rocket measures 3300 mm in length and 173 kg in weight, while the second one is 3700mm long and weighs 217kg. Missiles can be fired at a distance of up to 12km.
Thermobaric bombs, also called fuel-air bombs, are far more destructive than other conventional explosives. They work in two stages. When a charge is deployed, the first blast sprays a highly flammable fuel vapor throughout the surrounding area.
A second blast then ignites the vapor cloud in the air, resulting in a huge explosion, triggering a high-temperature fireball which sucks up the oxygen in the surrounding area and creates a massive blast wave that can rip through bunkers and rupture internal organs.
At the same time, the fireball can melt through defenses and vaporize bodies caught close to the explosion. Yet unlike cluster bombs, they are not banned under international law, as long as they are not used against civilians.
The use of TOS-1A weapons system in Ukraine was first confirmed by Britain’s Ministry of Defence in March.