Kremlin burns all in the war zone with ML5 magnesium on Good Friday
KYIV, UKRAINE — On Good Friday, celebrated on April 14th by Orthodox Christians such as Ukrainians and Russians, the Kremlin decided to burn everything or everyone. Early in the morning when shells with thermobaric warheads flew over Bakhmut. The field of military operations since the beginning of the year was again set on fire by the Russian offensive force.
- Su-34 and Su-35 drop 1,500 kg gliding bombs stunning Ukraine
- Su-34 is failing to destroy the arms supply network in Ukraine
- Close US ally has been preparing a delivery of ammunition to Russia
This time, apparently, the private military company Wagner has finally received some support from Moscow. Because in recent months there are no Russian troops in Bakhmut – there are only Wagnerians. Their commander had the Kremlin doors slammed shut and lost Putin’s favor. Well, apparently the Kremlin has decided to hurry things up and put the 9M22S Termite missiles of the Russian Grad MLRS system into action.
BulgarianMilitary.com published the video. Eight seconds like fireworks. An untrained eye or a layman would describe what is happening as some kind of victory celebration, but it is actually the burning of live military force and civilians if there are any left in the area.
3,000 °C or 5,432 °F
3,000 degrees Celsius is reached after the missile’s warhead detonates and begins dispersing smaller charges. It should also be added that 3000 degrees Celsius is 5432 degrees Fahrenheit, almost twice the temperature at which iron melts. Everything alive burns. Even through metal. There is no salvation.
The 9M22S Termite operates on the principle of a self-contained warhead with many additional firing elements. This is not the traditional high-explosive warhead. The 9M22S Termite has 180 firing elements in its structure made of ML5 magnesium alloy. To enhance the effect of the ML5, the Russians also filled the head with a pyrotechnic composition similar to thermite.
You understand that such a racket would have a much greater effect in spring, summer, and autumn. The seasons when are supposed to have more dry weather than the snowy winter with low temperatures in Ukraine.
TOS-1A
This weapon is defined as extremely dangerous and cruel. International analysts claim that very few countries have this type of weapon. Not because it is difficult to develop, but because unlike Russia, in other countries there is some limit of admissibility. The production of heat and fire through a chemical reaction leads to lasting human consequences. The weapon incinerates homes and vehicles. Human Rights Watch condemns the use of this type of weapon.
Ukraine cannot counter such types of weapons. The bad news for Kyiv is that just recently Moscow announced the deployment of new similar technology to the front. It is about the TOS-1A MLRS. This system works on a similar principle with minor differences. The TOS-1A uses a thermobaric warhead that, after ignition, detonates using the surrounding oxygen to produce several times doubled explosion at high temperatures under vacuum conditions.
9M22S previous use
The use of 9M22S Termite and Grad systems on Orthodox Good Friday is not an incidental phenomenon in Ukraine. In fact, there have been registered cases since 2014. Ukrainian sources claim that the explosions in 2014 near the Ilovaisk region are suspiciously similar to the 9M22S Termite used in 2022 in the Popasna region in March. A month later, similar explosions were carried out by the Russians in Novoyakovlivka, near the city of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine.
The 9M22S Termite and the Grad system are not modern weapons. They were re-tarred and manufactured in the Cold War era sometime in the 1970s. According to open reports, it is about the beginning of the 70s, or more precisely 1971. The developer is the State Scientific and Production Association Splav.
According to unproven claims, the 9M22S Termite uses phosphorus. However, this is not true and there is no proof of such consistency. Even Western and anti-Russian analysts and experts deny any phosphorus content. The primary targets of the 9M22S Termite and the Grad system are personnel or any type of flammable target.
Why now?
The system was originally designed to be used in areas with dry vegetation. It would have a much greater effect there. However, the war in Ukraine has revealed the dark side of Russian intentions, as not a small number of reports say exactly the opposite – in areas where there are more people, a large number of them civilians.
Using the 9M22S Termite a few days ago can lead us to several conclusions. For example, one possibility is warming the weather and increasing the missile’s killing capabilities in drier weather. A second reason would be the idea of Moscow and the desire of the leadership in the Kremlin to show some support to Magner. A third reason would be the desire to quickly “finish” in Bakhut. In the interest of the truth, the battle in Bakhmut has become the longest single battle since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
Ukraine needs more weapons
The use of this type of brutal and devastating weapon by Russian forces brings us back to the issue of supplying arms to Ukraine. At the moment, Kyiv cannot counter such Russian actions. The solution is for the West and partners to more quickly deliver what was promised, as well as find ways to counter such a Russian MLRS.
All this brings us back to the line of Euan MacDonald, editor in the Voice of Ukraine media, who as early as 2022 said: “Horrifying rain of thermite from Russian Grad 9M22S incendiary rockets. Thermite burns at 3,000 C – through metal. Ukraine’s troops are facing some of the most savage, barbarous weapons ever devised. There’s no excuse not to quickly supply them with weapons to fight back with.”
***
Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Our standards: Manifesto & ethical principles.