New York
\nUkraine has begun flying UAVs that drop thermite, a molten metal, on Russian forces at the front, CNN has reported. The incendiary munitions were developed in Germany and widely used by the Nazis and Allies alike during the Second World War.
\nDuring the week, several Telegram channels linked to the Ukrainian military published videos of low-flying \u201cfire-spewing\u201d drones targeting Russian positions in wooded areas, the broadcaster said in an article on Saturday.
\nThe UAVs, which had been nicknamed \u201cdragon drones\u201d due to the molten metal that they deploy resembling fire coming from the mouth of the mythical reptile, put a new twist on historic technology, it said.
\nThermite is a mix of aluminum powder and iron oxide that burns at temperatures of up to 2,200 degrees Celsius (4,000 degrees Fahrenheit). The munitions can rip through metal or quickly destroy vegetation that provides cover to troops. Incendiary weapons such as thermite, napalm and white phosphorus are not banned for combat under international law.
\nThermite was originally developed by German chemist Hans Goldschmidt in the 1890s for civilian purposes, but ended up being used \u201cto horrific effect\u201d in both World Wars, the media outlet noted.
\nDuring WWII, both the Nazis and the Allies relied on thermite bombs, which were mainly dropped at night because precision wasn\u2019t necessary. The incendiary munitions delivered massive damage to many cities during the conflict as their use often resulted in major blazes.
\nEarlier this week, Dr Iain Overton, the executive director of the British NGO Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), warned on X (formerly Twitter) that \u201cthe widespread use of thermite bombs increases the likelihood of these weapons being deployed in populated areas. The result could be catastrophic, with horrific injuries and loss of life among civilians.\u201d
\nNicholas Drummond, a defense industry analyst and former British Army officer, told CNN that the effect of Kiev\u2019s \u201cdragon drones\u201d would likely be \u201cpsychological more than physical.\u201d Drummond expressed a belief that Ukraine only possesses a limited capacity to deliver a thermite effect, so this is \u201ca niche capability rather than a new mainstream weapon.\u201d
\nOn Friday, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chair of the country\u2019s Security Council, told Tass that Russia has become the world\u2019s leader in the military use of UAVs amid the conflict with Ukraine.
\n\u201cIt is obvious that we\u2026 have gotten an enormous boost in this area. When it comes to drones, Russia is the top dog. This is an undeniable fact, simply due to recent events. These skills will serve us well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York Ukraine has begun flying UAVs that drop thermite, a molten metal, on Russian forces at the front, CNN has reported. The incendiary munitions were developed in Germany and widely used by the Nazis and Allies alike during the Second World War. During the week, several Telegram channels linked to the Ukrainian military published […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":430087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-430058","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n