Ukraine Attack Destroys Russian Thermobaric Weapon and Ammo Depot

Russia's thermobaric weapons are among its most destructive. Ukrainian forces destruction of its main depot in Donetsk is a significant setback for the Kremlin as it degrades Russia's ability to use these against Ukrainian troops defending Pokrovsk and other eastern positions. JL

Maya Mehrara reports in Newsweek:

A Russian thermobaric munitions depot in Donetsk Oblast was destroyed in a Ukrainian overnight attack on February 28, resulting in an explosion. Thermobaric weapons, draw in oxygen to generate intense, high-temperature combustions. The depot contained thermobaric shells, "munitions that disperse a fuel aerosol and detonate a gas cloud." Russia's stock of ammunition has recently decreased, and Moscow is facing a military equipment shortage, so Ukraine's most-recent strike could significantly damage their ability to continue fighting.  

A Russian thermobaric munitions depot in Donetsk Oblast was destroyed in a Ukrainian overnight attack on February 28, resulting in an explosion, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A video of the attack, which has since been circulated on social media, shows an initial explosion, followed by several larger ones.

Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email outside of business hours. Ukraine has frequently targeted weapons or munitions depots in an effort to cut off Russia's supply and hinder the country's ability to continue fighting in the war.

As well as striking Russian munitions storage facilities, Ukraine has also attacked Moscow's oil depots and refineries on numerous occasions, targeting the energy sector to cut off Russia's ability to continue funding the war.

Russia's stock of ammunition has recently decreased, and Moscow is facing a military equipment shortage, so Ukraine's most-recent strike could significantly damage their ability to continue fighting.

File photo: A Russian soldier directs a TOS-1A "Solntsepek" thermobaric rocket launcher in Ukraine at an unknown location on May 23, 2023. RIA Novosti/Associated Press

 

The Ukrainian armed forces reported that they "destroyed a thermobaric ammunition storage facility of the Russian invaders in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, in the Selidove district." They added that "three more important facilities of the Russian invaders were damaged. In particular, the Ilsky Oil Refinery (Krasnodar Krai, RF [Russian Federation]), which is involved in supplying the Russian occupation army."

 

After the explosion, debris and munitions were reportedly scattered near the destroyed facility, according to the military news outlet Militarnyi.

The Ukrainian forces reported that the results of the attack and the damage inflicted are still being determined.

Militarnyi also said that, from the scale and power behind the explosion, the munitions depot likely housed thermobaric rockets for the TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower systems, which are being used on the front lines.

 

The TOS-1A Solntsepek is a thermobaric rocket launcher, an updated version of the original flamethrower system. It has been described as one of the most-dangerous weapons in existence, more deadly than the U.S. HIMARS rocket launcher.

Thermobaric weapons, sometimes referred to as "vacuum" bombs, draw in oxygen to generate intense, high-temperature combustions.

The Belarusian news outlet NEXTA Live also reported that the depot contained thermobaric shells, which are "munitions that disperse a fuel aerosol and detonate the resulting gas cloud. There are no international laws explicitly prohibiting their use, but if a country employs them, it may be condemned for war crimes under The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907."

The thermobaric munitions depot is located less than 10 kilometers [6.2 miles] from the front line, according to Euromaidan Press, an English-language news website operated by contributors from Ukraine. The Ukrainian armed forces did not specify what weapons they used

 

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Jürgen Nauditt, a pro-Ukraine user, wrote: "Russia celebrates something with a big fireworks display. On the night of February 28, the Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a thermobaric ammunition depot of the russian invaders in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region in the Selidove district.—General Staff In addition, three more important facilities of the russian occupiers were hit. In particular, the Ilsky oil refinery (Krasnodar region, russia), which is involved in supplying the russian occupation army."

Tim White, a journalist covering Ukraine, wrote on X: "Good news from occupied #Ukraine, which will save many, many lives. #Ukraine hit a store of #Russia's thermobaric weapons near the #Donetsk village of #Selydove. #SlavaUkraïni."

What Happens Next

It is unclear how Russia will revamp its stock of thermobaric weapons lost in the explosion to continue fighting in the escalating conflict with Ukraine.