New video released on April 6 shows Russian thermobaric rockets falling in the central area of Bakhmut city in eastern Ukraine.
Video recorded by satellite, was posted by military expert Rob Lee from the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies based in the US on April 6, according to US Newsweek.
In the video, rockets fired from Russia’s TOS-1A “thermobaric fire god” landed in the area of Bakhmut city, creating large fireballs.
The TOS-1A thermobaric rocket launcher was widely used by Russia during the conflict in Ukraine.
“Russian TOS-1A thermobaric rocket artillery fired in the center of Bakhmut. This is a very effective weapon against the fortified defensive positions of the Ukrainian army in urban areas”, expert Rob Lee said.
It is not clear whether the Russian raid with the TOS-1A “thermobaric fire” took place before or after Wagner mercenaries planted the flag at Bakhmut town hall.
The heavy fire from Russia, including TOS-1A rocket artillery, may be the reason why the Ukrainian army has to withdraw from the center of Bakhmut, focusing on strengthening the defense line to the west of the city.
Each thermobaric projectile operates on a double-explosion mechanism. First, the fuse releases a cloud or chemical fog in the air through the aerosol effect. This cloud easily penetrates, creeps into every nook and cranny. A secondary explosion shortly thereafter ignited the cloud and sucked up all the air, creating a brief vacuum. In addition, the combustion of fuel will create a shock wave that deals damage over a wide area.
On April 6, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that Ukrainian troops were still trying to hold on in the western areas of Bakhmut. “Ukrainian troops are still trying to defend in Bakhmut and they have not shown any signs of retreating yet”, Mr. Prigozhin said. “They are controlling the tall buildings in the west of the city”.
