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inanna

(3,547 posts)
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 06:52 PM Feb 2022

Russia has used vacuum bomb, says Ukraine envoy

17:44

Russia used a banned thermobaric weapon during fighting in Ukraine on Monday, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US told American lawmakers in a briefing.

"They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention," Oksana Markarova told reporters after emerging from the congressional briefing. This claim has not been verified by the BBC.

Thermobaric weapons do not use conventional ammunition.

They are instead filled with a high-pressure explosive, and suck in oxygen from the surrounding environment to generate an extremely powerful explosion and pressure wave.


...

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60542877
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Russia has used vacuum bomb, says Ukraine envoy (Original Post) inanna Feb 2022 OP
If this is true, it's a war crime... regnaD kciN Feb 2022 #1
Thermobaric DeSmet Feb 2022 #2
Or "pressure." Igel Feb 2022 #10
Poor Reporting ProfessorGAC Feb 2022 #3
The Ukraine ambassador to U.S. claims a vacuum bomb was used by Russians on Monday Wicked Blue Feb 2022 #4
The U.S. has used vacuum bombs several times... PoliticAverse Feb 2022 #5
CNN kept showing a thermobaric launcher south of Belgorod... AntiFascist Feb 2022 #6
I accept the armament was moved into Ukraine. Igel Feb 2022 #12
He thinks he can get away with anything Iwasthere Feb 2022 #7
The weapons are not banned sarisataka Feb 2022 #8
I saw a story someplace that a 17 year old girl was brought to the hospital with damaged lungs Liberal In Texas Feb 2022 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Feb 2022 #11
They used those in Chechnya too. Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 2022 #13

ProfessorGAC

(64,419 posts)
3. Poor Reporting
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:01 PM
Feb 2022

These bombs don't "suck in oxygen from the surrounding environment".
The flammable ingredient under moderate nitrogen pressure is released through a venturi nozzle, using the gas velocity to draw in a small amount of air to get the gas/air mixture to roughly 18%.
The flammable agent is actually capable of burning without outside air, but combustion efficiency & rate of burn are compromised.
At a value under 20%, combustion efficiency is essentially 100% & the burn rate is a multiple of the speed of sound.
It's a terrible weapon, but this " vacuum" thing is ridiculous.
In fact, the bomb would work simply relying on diffusion, but the yield & the explosion volume would be less predictable.
The media reports on this "vacuum" aspect as if they know what it means.
They don't.

Wicked Blue

(5,767 posts)
4. The Ukraine ambassador to U.S. claims a vacuum bomb was used by Russians on Monday
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:01 PM
Feb 2022

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia used a vacuum bomb on Monday in its invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said.

"They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention," Markarova said after briefing members of the U.S. Congress. "The devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large."

AntiFascist

(12,792 posts)
6. CNN kept showing a thermobaric launcher south of Belgorod...
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:06 PM
Feb 2022
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-26-22/h_0050ad4a0b55a2fdd9753d00b44efc40

Russian thermobaric "vacuum bombs" launcher seen by CNN team in Ukraine

A Russian thermobaric multiple rockets launcher has been spotted by CNN team south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border early Saturday afternoon.

The TOS-1 or TOS-1A Multiple Rocket Launcher seen by CNN is capable of launching rockets with thermobaric warheads.

Igel

(35,191 posts)
12. I accept the armament was moved into Ukraine.
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 08:06 PM
Feb 2022

As for its use ... Looking at the video provided, all I saw was a oil depot on fire.

Granted, it's hard to catch the munition's use on video. You really have to be recording at the right place at the right time (and the right distance). Post-boom analysis is going to be more useful, unless the Russian tosser (the guy using the TOS-1, obviously ...) comes forward and provides evidence.

Iwasthere

(3,138 posts)
7. He thinks he can get away with anything
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:07 PM
Feb 2022

Like his puppet does. Not anymore. The world is watching closely. Our media over here often ignore the recent BS (over the last few years), and atrocities, and allow the blatant revising of history. Sickens me. President Biden should call it out at every chance. We just cannot allow it to continue.

sarisataka

(18,216 posts)
8. The weapons are not banned
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:13 PM
Feb 2022

Their use against a civilian population would be against the Geneva Convention, as would a standard bomb.

For all of the breathless reporting, since the media has apparently rediscovered these weapons, they have been used for decades. Although powerful, they create the same effects as conventional bombs.

Liberal In Texas

(13,453 posts)
9. I saw a story someplace that a 17 year old girl was brought to the hospital with damaged lungs
Mon Feb 28, 2022, 07:16 PM
Feb 2022

after one of these bombings. Damaged lungs. She didn't make it.

Response to inanna (Original post)

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