Article is about politics. After referring to Russian “setbacks” in the war, it never returns to say just what those setbacks are. The battle over Chasiv Yar is mounting and Ukraine has stacked the box there defensively, so it’s not going to happen by May 9. I guess that’s a setback of sorts. Elsewhere in Donets Russia has made significant advances. Lots of heavy fighting and stout Ukrainian defense, but no significant Ukrainian gains anywhere.
Ukraine will be in defense mode for the rest of the year while continuing to demilitarize Crimea’s air defenses as well as the Black Sea fleet.
Shoigu and his cronies were all under investigation for corruption a year before the invasion. The invasion shut down that investigation but it’s back again after 2 years of Putin’s botched war.
Popcorn time.
The TOS-1A 220 millimetre thermobaric rocket artillery system, following the significant attention the asset’s combat performance in the Ukrainian theatre has gained.
Rostec Industrial Director of Weapon Systems Bekhan Ozdoev stated on April 8 confirmed that the first prototype of the system had already been built, with the Omsktransmash factory having already filed an application to register the trademark TOS-3 ‘Dragon’ - the designation of the new system.
It will replace the TOS-1 Solntsepyok and TOS-2 Tosochka heavy flamethrower systems. These are powerful weapons that have performed well in the special military operation zone.
We are now working on the creation of a new TOS-3 heavy flamethrower system. A promising vehicle on a tracked base will be equipped with a new launcher. This will increase the firing range and use new ammunition.”
It can launch two types of warheads — incendiary and fuel-air explosives. The latter, also called vacuum or thermobaric rockets, work by using oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion.
The weapons system is extremely effective against entrenched personnel. The TOS-1A is used to clear out buildings, field fortifications and bunkers, and are much more effective than all other conventional weapons.
Thermobaric weapons can vaporize human bodies and crush internal organs.
These thing ought to outlawed, but when the US dusts off the cluster munitions and then Russia follows suite, the war is becoming a test ground for ghouls.
The “set backs” are the horrendous loss of troops and armor. Everywhere armor is lacking, they use meat assaults which generally result in 90-100% dead as they meet Mr. Cluster. The few that survive create the bridgehead for the next assault.
The bodies are left to rot, as their is no way to retrieve them, and they dead are individually counted by drones.