Russian "solar fire" super cannon fires fire to destroy Ukrainian military convoy

Avia Pro reported on April 18 that a convoy carrying military equipment of Ukrainian forces was discovered and came under Russian fire in the forest near the city of Kreminna.

Russian forces used TOS-1A Solntsepyok heavy thermobaric artillery to attack the Ukrainian convoy. The attack caused several vehicles to catch fire.

Russian "solar fire" super cannon attacks Ukrainian military convoy

Footage from the attack shows several Ukrainian soldiers leaving their positions and fleeing after the Russian attack.

The number of casualties and the destruction of military equipment is not yet clear. However, this is considered a signal that the Russian army seems to have taken control of the area.

Kreminna lies on the main road connecting Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk and is only about 20km from both cities. Capturing Kreminna would open the way for Ukraine to advance towards Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, the second largest urban area in Lugansk Oblast with a population of about 250,000. A scenario where Kiev controls Kreminna would also severely weaken Russia’s position in Lugansk, eastern Ukraine.

Due to Kreminna's strategic location, the Ukrainian army has deployed many soldiers and heavy military equipment to the city.

Cities in Eastern Ukraine (Photo: Sky).

In recent times, Russia’s heavy thermobaric systems have demonstrated their power on the battlefield by destroying many fortified targets in Ukraine. Russia seems to use thermobaric ammunition in raid missions, a type of ammunition that can cause great destruction to the enemy’s fortified targets.

The TOS-1A system, also known as Solntsepyok, is a multiple launch system consisting of 24 thermobaric missiles, capable of targeting enemy soldiers, equipment or any fortifications in an area equivalent to 6 football fields, up to 40,000 square meters.

The TOS-1A multiple launch rocket system has been in service since 1987 and is one of the most powerful weapons in the Russian army's artillery arsenal.

Designed to attack enemy infantry in fortifications and in light armored vehicles, the TOS-1A is capable of launching missiles carrying thermobaric or incendiary warheads.

A TOS-1A thermobaric rocket artillery system of the Russian army (Photo: 19fortyfive).

The TOS-1A Solntsepyok rocket launcher has a range of about 3-4km and uses high-explosive missiles. In addition, Solntsepyok also uses thermobaric warheads, allowing it to spray flammable solutions when hitting the target and ignite.

The TOS-1A rocket launcher disperses gaseous chemical clouds into the air, which are then detonated with a vacuum explosive to release a high-pressure shock wave, sucking air out of confined areas with tremendous force and destroying buildings, trenches, bunkers and other structures.

In certain environments, the temperature from the Solntsepyok's thermobaric warhead can reach 1,000 degrees Celsius, providing significant destructive power. Therefore, this system is called "solar fire".

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/sieu-phao-lua-mat-troi-nga-phong-hoa-luc-pha-huy-doan-xe-quan-su-ukraine-20230418163611892.htm