The X-channel OSINTtechnical reports on a massive explosion in the north of Avdiivka.
Via X, formerly known as Twitter, it reads: “North of Avdiivka, a fully loaded Russian TOS-1 thermobaric missile launcher system exploded after being hit by Ukrainian FPV hovering ammunition.”
The TOS flamethrower has been deployed in both Chechnya and Syria. Although it is comparatively bulky and slow, it stands out due to its ability to destroy bunkers, fortresses, and tunnels with its volleys, as reported by the German news website STERN.
The functioning of the TOS rockets is similar to that of an aerosol bomb. However, numerous warheads strike the target area here, dispersing an explosive fog in the air that needs to be ignited precisely. The result is the formation of a massive fireball that generates a tremendous pressure wave. Immediately following the primary pressure wave, a vacuum underpressure ensues.
In an analysis after the initial deployments in Chechnya, the CIA noted: “Within the flame area, all individuals are annihilated. Furthermore, people outside this zone often suffer internal injuries, frequently invisible, such as damage to the eardrums and internal organs.” Even in bunkers and protective areas, the zone of the emerging fireball offers no protection against the effects.
Image: Kremlin.ru, Vladimir Putin at the site Donguzsky (2015-09-19) 10.jpg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size changed)
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