Video shows a Ukrainian drone slam into a Russian thermobaric rocket launcher, triggering a massive explosion

Chris Panella
Updated ·2 min read
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  • A new video shows a Ukrainian drone hitting a Russian thermobaric rocket launcher.

  • The collision causes a massive explosion as the rockets explode.

  • The TOS-1 is a blunt force instrument for pounding fortified defenses and armored vehicles.

A new video shows the moment a Ukrainian drone flies into a Russian thermobaric rocket launcher, causing a massive explosion as the individual rockets combust.

The video, shared by the open-source intelligence account OSINTtechnical, shows the strike and its aftermath.

In the video, the Ukrainian first-person view loitering drone flies near the Russian TOS-1 multiple rocket launcher system, which is driving down a dirt road in Zaitseve, a settlement just south of war-torn Bakhmut.

The drone flips around and flies straight towards the TOS-1, slamming into it before losing connection.

The next part of the video shows the consequence: the TOS-1's payload — it can carry up to 24 220mm rockets with thermobaric or incendiary warheads — explodes, creating a giant display of fire and smoke.

And the aftermath, seen by an FPV drone, shows the fried TOS-1 on the road.

Russian TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers drive during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020.
Russian TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers drive during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020.Host photo agency/Ramil Sitdikov via REUTERS

It's not the first time Ukraine has touted the destruction of a TOS-1 rocket launcher. Back in February, Kyiv shared a video of an reported destruction of a Russian thermobaric rocket launcher in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

The Soviet TOS-1 model was originally developed in the early 1980s, typically used to overwhelm fortified positions and armored vehicles with salvoes of powerful rockets. Its barrel can hold 24 missiles, making it a feared and powerful asset.

The thermobaric weapons — sometimes referred to as vacuum bombs — it fires are known for their two-stage detonation. First, they disperse a cloud of fuel into the air before detonating, creating an intense blast wave.

They can cause mass devastation, particularly because of their potential for indiscriminate use and widespread casualties.

Correction: July 28, 2023 — An earlier version of this article misidentified the owner of the OSINTtechnical X account.

Read the original article on Business Insider