The Russians used a heavy flamethrower "Solncepiok" in the civilian districts of Shebekino. "This is pure crime and madness"

Author: Tomasz Glen, 16:05, 03.06.2023
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The Russian army used the TOS-1A “Solncepiok” in a civilian zone near the border town of Shebekino, where there were still civilians.

The Russians used a heavy flamethrower Solncepiok in the civilian districts of Shebekino. This is pure crime and madness

TOS-1A ”Solncepiok” system

The Russian army used the TOS-1A “Solncepiok” in a civilian zone near the border town of Shebekino, where there were still civilians. The Russians used a system of heavy flamethrowers to stop the second entry into the territory of the Russian Federation of the “Freedom of Russia” Legion in the Belgorod region. This system is capable of burning down entire districts. It is not known if there were any casualties. However, some Telegram propaganda channels portrayed the news as something heroic.

“The forces of the Russian Federation hit the saboteurs with 'Solncepiok' thermobaric missiles, who retreated into the forest. However, such a shelter will not save them…” — we read on the Russian portal Arguments and Facts.

The Russians are already shelling their own territory

“According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, there were up to 70 militants, five tanks and four armored vehicles on the Ukrainian side” reported voenkoKotenok, a Telegram channel run by Russian propagandist Yuri Kotionek.

At the same time, he did not specify that “Solncepiok” was used in the zone from which civilians were not evacuated, although the recording published by him shows that the shells fall near residential buildings.

The TOS-1A “Solncepiok” heavy flamethrower system, which the occupiers used in the area of the city of Shebekino, is capable of mass destruction of civilian objects and the population. Oleksandr Kovalenko, an observer of the military-political group Information Resistance, on Telegram called such actions madness, writes the UNIAN portal.

According to him, this is a clear crime, because the heavy flamethrower system should not be used near cities and in populated areas, as the Russians did in Mariupol, destroying entire districts.

"I don't know who is behind the order to use the TOS-1A ”Solncepiok” in Shebekin, but he is either an incorrigible idiot or a maniac. Just a maniac” a military analyst wrote on Telegram.

Heavy flamethrower “Solncepiok”: why is it dangerous

TOS-1A “Solncepiok” was developed in 2001. The main task of the flamethrower system is to support infantry and armored formations. It is designed to take out lightly armored vehicles and automotive equipment, to set fire to and destroy buildings and other objects with a volume explosion, as well as to destroy enemy personnel located in the open and in fortifications. A series of missed hits is accompanied by high temperature, the appearance of shrapnel, a shock wave and excessive pressure.

According to Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the heavy flamethrower is capable of destroying not only enemy military targets with high heat, but also causing massive damage to civilian infrastructure.

“It's an inhumane system. Thanks to excessive pressure, shock wave and incredibly high temperature, it destroys virtually everything that comes under fire” Czerewaty said on January 3 in an interview with the Ukrainian Channel 24.

Commenting on the use of “Sontspiok”, adviser to the head of the Chancellery of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, noted on May 27:

“Some partners are hesitating to provide the necessary weapons, fearing escalation. Escalation?! The Russian Federation is already using the heaviest non-nuclear weapons against Ukrainians who are burning alive. Maybe it's time to answer the non-humans and give Ukraine Reactive salvo fire systems?”