Ukrainian thermobaric drone destroys Russian military gathering place

Ukrainian forces deployed drones carrying thermobaric warheads to attack a house where Russian soldiers were gathered, turning the building into a pile of rubble.

On April 4, the 28th Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine posted a video of it deploying a first-person view drone (FPV) to attack a house controlled by Russian soldiers in an area that appears to be in Donetsk province, where the force is operating.

Video taken from the drone’s FPV camera shows the device moving towards the house and crashing through the window, before detonating and losing signal. The second half of the video shows another angle of the attack, showing the drone reducing the house to rubble.

"The enemy stronghold was destroyed by a powerful FPV drone," the 28th Brigade's Telegram account commented. The specific damage suffered by Russian forces after the incident is unknown.

Ukrainian drone carrying thermobaric ammunition 'blows up' Russian base — FPV drones from Ukraine attack Russian bases in video posted on April 4. Video: *28th Ukrainian Brigade*

Based on the video posted by Brigade 28, experts believe that this force used FPV drones equipped with thermobaric warheads in the attack.

Thermobaric weapons have been used repeatedly in the conflict in Ukraine, and can create explosions more powerful than some traditional weapons thanks to their two-charge mechanism.

When the shell hits its target, the first charge is activated and disperses a flammable fuel mixture in a cloud. The second charge detonates the cloud, creating a giant fireball, shockwave, and vacuum that can suck out the surrounding oxygen. This mechanism increases the power of thermobaric shells when detonated in enclosed environments such as buildings, bunkers, or trenches.

The British Ministry of Defense once stated that thermobaric weapons could "destroy infrastructure and cause those affected by the blast to die from burns and severe damage to internal organs".

Military expert David Hambling said the number of drone attacks carrying thermobaric warheads has increased significantly recently, as Ukraine produces them in large numbers.

"Ukraine appears to be using these high-explosive drones to compensate for a lack of artillery shells when attacking Russian defense positions," he added.

Hambling said Russia does not appear to have deployed FPV drones carrying thermobaric warheads on the battlefield, although it regularly uses TOS-1A rocket artillery equipped with thermobaric munitions.

Pham Giang (According to Newsweek, BBC, Reuters )

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