The Russian military has been accused by Ukraine of deploying thermobaric weapons on its territory. These machines, the use of which is prohibited by the 1949 Geneva Convention, are of concern to the international community.
This equipment, also called “vacuum bombs”, combines both thermal power and an extremely powerful chemical reaction created by the meeting between dust and liquid present in the projectile and air.
The first explosion releases the two products, which explode again in contact with the air and raise the temperature to 3000 °, which can then destroy the village and infrastructure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q91yFP9E9Yg
Thermobaric weapons have been used in the past during World War II by the German army, and more recently in Afghanistan and Chechnya by the Russian army, but also by the Americans in Vietnam, or rather against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Several amateur videos show these tanks located in Ukraine. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, on Monday accused Russia of using those weapons.
Russian army deploys heavy flamethrower TOS-1, which launches thermobaric missiles – south of Belgorod#Russia # Ukraine pic.twitter.com/blntgoKWjs
– RAGE X (@theragex) February 26, 2022
TOS-1, currently based in Ukraine, are weapons used in long-range battles, multiple missiles (24 tubes of 220 millimeters) can travel about 6 kilometers to reach their targets. They can be even more devastating in the medium range.
COMMUNICATION: In# Ukraine file a lawsuit against #Russian Federation front, there #ICJ and asks the Court to indicate interim measures https://t.co/7k7vmvhkTt pic.twitter.com/qFM5CC6tUy
– CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) February 27, 2022
As the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears a petition by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accusing the Russian military of “war crimes” and “genocide”, evidence of the use of “vacuum bombs” could be sent by Russian officials led by Vladimir Putin to the International criminal court.