Russian forces have made another attempt to take over a Ukrainian-controlled building but have been repelled by a small group of Ukrainian defenders. Despite the numerical advantage of the Russian forces, they have been unable to defeat the Ukrainian defenders, who have maintained fierce resistance over several weeks.
If the war continues, Russians can introduce its weapon, which unleashes a barrage of rockets causing lung-exploding ordnance. The weapon is known as a thermobaric weapon. Thermobaric weapons were first developed by the United States during the Vietnam War and are considered among the most deadly weapons on the battlefield.
These weapons can cause three or four times more damage than conventional weapons of the same size. This is because, unlike traditional explosives, thermobaric weapons draw oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere when they explode, creating an intense need for oxygen.
The explosion creates a vacuum, which can cause debilitating injuries to people in bunkers, buildings, trenches, and caves. According to a US Defense Intelligence Agency report from the 1990s, the immense pressure wave can throw people around, create massive internal injuries, and cause bubbles to appear in a person’s cardiovascular system.
These bubbles can cause fatal injuries like heart attacks and stroke up to 48 hours after surviving the initial explosion. Additionally, depending on how well the fuel was consumed, excess fuel lying around could cause injuries similar to chemical weapons. The lingering effects of thermobaric weapons can make an area uninhabitable for a long time.
Thermobaric weapons are a deadly and devastating type of munition that can cause extensive damage to both infrastructure and human life. Various military forces worldwide, including the United States and Russia, have developed and used them. These weapons rely on the surrounding atmosphere for oxygen, creating a vacuum that can cause debilitating injuries to people in places they thought were safe.
The effects of a thermobaric weapon can be fatal and long-lasting, including heart attacks, stroke, chemical burns, rashes, and toxic fumes. Using such weapons raises ethical and humanitarian concerns in modern warfare, highlighting the need for international regulations and conventions to limit their use and proliferation.
