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It launched one salvo and disappeared in flames: Ukrainian drones make rare kill of Russian TOS‑1A (video)

Par :Yuri Zoria

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Ukraine’s Rarog Regiment has destroyed a TOS‑1A thermobaric system near the front line, Defense Express reports. The rare Russian launcher was located and eliminated after it exposed its thermal signature by firing a salvo.

The TOS‑1A, also known as Solntsepyok, is a Russian “heavy flamethrower” that fires thermobaric and incendiary munitions. It is used primarily against fortifications, bunkers, and urban targets. Due to its short range of only a few kilometers, it is rarely seen near active combat zones, where it becomes an easy target for reconnaissance and return fire.

Ukrainian drones destroy TOS‑1A thermobaric system in frontline night strike

Drone pilots from Ukraine’s Rarog 427th Regiment tracked and struck the Russian TOS‑1A thermobaric rocket system during a night operation. The system had launched its rockets just moments before drones detected its heat and visual trail.

Defense Express notes the system was reduced to burnt wreckage, eliminating one of the Russian army’s most feared battlefield weapons. These systems have previously been used to target frontline units and civilians due to their destructive blast pressure and heat.

 

After the launcher revealed its position, a Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drone was deployed. The drone struck the TOS‑1A, disabling its movement or defenses. Immediately following the initial hit, Vampire bomber drones carrying explosive payloads were used to finish the job. The payloads were dropped with high precision, leaving the system completely destroyed.

The TOS‑1A’s design focuses on close-range firepower and shock effect, but its vulnerability after firing has become a repeated weakness. Ukrainian forces have taken advantage of this by coordinating drone strikes that combine immediate disabling hits and follow-up precision destruction.

Defense Express also highlighted a previous strike by the Kryma reconnaissance group of the 14th Separate UAV Regiment. That team guided a HIMARS strike onto a North Korean Koksan self-propelled gun used by Russian forces. The operation destroyed the weapon and killed six crew members.

Thermobaric weapons

A thermobaric munition, also called aerosol or vacuum ammunition, is a type of explosive that works by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive before igniting it. It uses the effect of a volumetric explosion of an aerosol cloud of flammable substance. These weapons are designed to produce enhanced temperature and pressure compared to conventional explosives and are often referred to as fuel-air explosives.

 

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