A Ukrainian FPV (First-Person View) drone successfully destroyed a Russian TOS-1 heavy flamethrower, resulting in a huge fireball that shot into the sky.
The attack was captured on video by the Security Service of Ukraine and shows the impact of this strike.
According to Tech WP, the TOS-1 is a powerful weapon designed to launch thermobaric warheads. When these warheads hit a target, they release a flammable cloud that ignites, causing a large explosion.
This type of explosion creates sudden pressure changes and reduces oxygen, making it deadly for people and damaging to structures and light vehicles.
The TOS-1 has a short firing range, meaning it needs to be close to the front lines to be effective.
This makes it an easy target for Ukrainian forces. In this case, a Ukrainian reconnaissance team spotted the TOS-1, and a drone was sent to destroy it.
Another drone filmed the attack, showing the TOS-1, loaded with missiles, being hit and exploding into a massive fireball.
The TOS-1, though a strong weapon, has been vulnerable in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Only a limited number of these systems have been made for the Russian military, and Ukrainian forces have destroyed, captured, or damaged at least 28 of them during the war.
Newer versions of the TOS-1, like the TOS-3 Drakon, include features like anti-drone protection and jammers to block drone attacks.
The TOS-1 destroyed in this attack did not have these protections, showing the challenges Russian forces face in keeping their weapons safe from Ukrainian drones.
