Ukrainian forces are most likely using “dragon drones” in their fights with the Russians, CNN reported, adding that the weapon was used with terrifying effect in both world wars.
“A series of videos posted on social media and the Telegram channel of the Kyiv Defense Ministry show low-flying drones dropping jets of flame – in reality molten metal – on positions occupied by Russians in forested areas. The white-hot mixture of aluminum powder and iron oxide, called thermite, burns at temperatures of up to 2,200 degrees Celsius. It can quickly burn through trees and vegetation where Russian troops are hiding,” CNN reported in a Saturday publication.
“Thermite falling from the drone resembles fire emerging from the mouth of a mythical dragon, hence the name of these drones,” we read.
Ukrainian “dragon drone in action”. Footage from the recording Khorne Group/Telegram
“Wings of Vengeance”
On Telegram channels related to the armed forces Ukraine several such recordings have been published. “Attack drones are our wings of vengeance, carrying fire straight from the sky! They become a real threat to the enemy, burning his positions with a precision that no other weapon provides,” says the commentary of the 60th Mechanized Brigade, quoted by CNN.
According to Nicholas Drummond, a defense industry analyst and former British Army officer, the main effect of Ukraine’s thermite-dropping “dragon drones” is likely to be fear-mongering. “It’s a very nasty thing,” the expert said, adding that it is also “quite an innovative solution” on the Ukrainian front. Drummond also assessed that the effect of the “dragon drones” would be “more psychological than physical.”
Ukrainian “dragon drone in action”. Footage from the recording Khorne Group/Telegram
There is no good protection against it
CNN reminded that thermite can easily burn through almost anything, including metal, which is why there is no good protection against it.
“(The term) was discovered by a German chemist in the 1890s and was originally used to weld railway tracks. But its military potential was quickly recognized: According to historical data from McGill University in Montreal, the Germans dropped the substance from airships as bombs over Britain during World War I. Both the Germans and the Allies used thermite bombs in World War II, and they also used them to disable captured artillery pieces by placing thermite in the receiver and melting the gun from the inside,” CNN reported.