Ukrainian dragon drones ignite panic in russian ranks
The Russian section of the BBC analyzed recordings published recently by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The videos show advanced drones which do not merely drop bombs or fly straight into their targets. These drones burn everything in their path using an incendiary mixture that reaches about 2,450 degrees Celsius. "Dragon drones" have caused panic among Russian soldiers.
Trees provide natural cover for ground troops, but only for a while. Now, the forests where soldiers hide can become deadly traps. This is due to new drones used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces for a week.
2450 degrees Celsius
As the BBC reports, in early September, blogs related to the war in Ukraine featured videos showing drones dropping flammable substances on forests. According to the annotations, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are allegedly targeting Russian military personnel hiding under tree canopies, the article informs.
The BBC explains that trees help soldiers move covertly, but staying in a forest becomes dangerous if a fire breaks out.
According to Channel 24, which accessed the technical specifications of the drones, in just 20 seconds, a drone can set aflame a strip of forest 100 metres long.
Destroys military equipment, detonates ammunition
The substance dropped by the drones is called thermite. It is a powdered mixture of aluminum or magnesium with oxides of certain metals – most commonly iron. When ignited, such a mixture burns, releasing a large amount of heat – up to 2,450 degrees Celsius. Extinguishing such a fire is very difficult.
The BBC warns that the substance can cause more than a forest fire. If military equipment is dusted with the mixture, it can be destroyed. Thermite is also dangerous for a field depot because it will lead to its detonation.
This mixture has been used before in drones, though in a slightly different way – both the Russian and Ukrainian military used to drop incendiary ammunition from drones.
The result of combat use is impressive—drones drop a burning incendiary mixture, which starts a forest fire. However, the BBC reports no information on the serious consequences of such operations in open sources.
Russian propagandists also write about the effectiveness of the drones. "If the goal is to burn everything and everyone, forests, positions, soldiers, units, then this is an effective weapon. Especially now, when serious fires are raging in the Donbas," writes the channel "Veteran's Notes."
"What's important here is something else: the enemy is inventing something new again, testing, observing, drawing conclusions, and improving. There is no way to stay behind," the channel adds.
