Ukraine Vs Russia: The Ukrainian Ambassador To The US Oksana Markarova Has Accused Russia Of Using Cluster Bombs And Vacuum Bombs On Ukrainians As The War Rages In And Around Kyiv.
The weapons have been condemned by a variety of international organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Russian forces appeared to have used cluster munitions, with Amnesty accusing of attacking a pre-school in northeastern Ukraine while civilians took shelter inside.
- Cluster Munitions/Bombs: The Use Of Such Weapons, Which Suck In Oxygen From The Surrounding Air To Generate A High-temperature Explosion, Has Yet To Be Independently Confirmed, Though Footage From Ukraine Has Shown Thermobaric Rocket Launchers On Russia’s TOS-1 Vehicles.
- Vacuum Bomb/Thermobaric Weapon: Thermobaric weapons are one such tool that uses the effects of temperature and pressure on the target. A vacuum bomb, sucks in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, typically producing a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than that of a conventional explosive and is capable of vaporizing human bodies.
- How Does It Work? Also known as an aerosol bomb, it is a 2-stage munition with the first charge distributing aerosols made up of very fine material from a carbon-based fuel to tiny metal particles. The second charge ignites that cloud creating a shock wave sucking up the oxygen and making a vacuum around its target.
- Is It Legal To Use These Weapons? Countries that have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions are prohibited from using cluster bombs. As of date, there are 110 state parties to the convention, and 13 other countries have signed up but are yet to ratify it. Neither Russia nor Ukraine are signatories. Vacuum bombs are not prohibited by any international law or agreement, but their use against civilian populations in built-up areas, schools, or hospitals, could attract action under the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.
- Where Have They Been Used Before? Thermobaric munitions can be traced back to World War Two when they were initially used by the German army. They were not widely developed until the 1960s when the US used them in Vietnam. The US also used them in Afghanistan. First, in 2001 try to destroy al-Qaeda forces hiding in the caves of the Tora Bora mountains, and in 2017, against Islamic State forces. Russia used them in Chechnya in 1999 and was condemned by Human Rights Watch for doing so. Russian-made thermobaric weapons were reportedly used in the Syrian civil war by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
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