Thermobaric weapon used against Kyiv: What is known about it
An aviation expert explained how Russia's thermobaric weapon works.
Thermobaric weapon
Despite ongoing negotiations, Russia continues to destroy Ukrainian cities, using new weapons.
Aviation expert Konstantin Kryvolap spoke about this on the KYIV24 broadcast.
"During the strike on Kyiv, a thermobaric weapon was used, as well as in Kropyvnytskyi – a thermobaric charge, and on the "Shaheds", a thermobaric charge. So, there is an explosion, but it's not exactly like a thermobaric one; it’s some kind of mixed type – that’s how it turns out. Because a thermobaric weapon first creates a detonation and the spread of an aerosol mixture, and then, after that, a second detonation, when the entire mixture explodes," he explained.
According to him, a thermobaric explosion has two stages that almost happen simultaneously.
"The interval between the first explosion and the second one – it's almost imperceptible, it happens nearly at the same time. It seems like they almost simultaneously detonate this aerosol mixture and immediately trigger an explosion. For our viewers, let me explain what a thermobaric explosion means for those who might not understand it," he added.
The expert says that a classic thermobaric warhead contains an aerosol mixture, which first spreads in an enclosed space and then detonates with a second charge.
"A classic thermobaric warhead consists of a container with an aerosol mixture. It enters, say, a basement or a building – somewhere with an enclosed volume. It spreads through this volume, and then, with the second detonation, it explodes. And at this time, a vacuum funnel is created, a vacuum pit. It's like a gas explosion? When a gas explosion occurs, it bursts outward. But here, all the oxygen in the room is burned, creating a reverse explosive wave," Kryvolap explained.
"Not outward, but inward. The walls collapse, the ceilings collapse, everything falls apart, and significant destruction happens. But what we see – well, any thermobaric weapon is accompanied by a large explosion and flash. Not even an explosion, but a flash, and then the explosion follows. Here, you can see something flying out, say, into an apartment. And then a big flash happens, but it's not the type that should have come from, say, gasoline or something like that. It resembles a thermobaric flash, but not of the strength to create a vacuum situation. It seems like it might not even be a thermobaric weapon, but some incendiary mixture inside these warheads. Well, I think the forensic experts, the institute, will figure out what exactly they are doing," the expert said.
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