Russia admits to using thermobaric weapons in Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that its forces have used the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine, which is classified as thermobaric.
As the UK Ministry of Defense tweeted, “the Russian MoD has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine. The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects.”
Thermobaric weapons, also referred to as vacuum bombs, suck oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. Victims close to the explosion are left unable to breathe, causing asphyxiation. Thermobaric weapons are generally more destructive than conventional bombs, and they are using to indiscriminately destroy large targets.
When reports first surfaced that the Russian military was using thermobaric weapons in Ukraine in late February, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted, “it would potentially be a war crime”.
Russia was also accused of using thermobaric bombs in Chechnya in 1999 and more recently in Syria.