What are ‘dragon drones’, the latest weapon being used in Russia-Ukraine war?

What are ‘dragon drones’?

Dragon drones essentially release a substance called thermite — a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide — developed a century ago to weld railroad tracks.

When ignited (usually with the help of an electrical fuse), thermite triggers a self-sustaining reaction that is quite difficult to extinguish. It can burn through almost anything, from clothes to trees to military-grade vehicles, and can even burn underwater. On humans, it causes severe, possibly fatal, burns and bone damage.

“Combining thermite with high-precision drones that can bypass traditional defences makes dragon drones ‘highly effective’ and ‘dangerous’,” Al Jazeera quoted the United Kingdom-based anti-war advocacy organisation Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) as saying.

Dragon drones are believed to have been first deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war around September. According to a report by The New York Times, Ukrainian forces used them to “ignite the vegetation that Russian troops use for cover and burn it out, exposing them and their equipment to direct attack.” Soon, the Russians too began to produce and deploy their dragon drones.

Has thermite been used in weapons before?

Yes. Thermite was used in both world wars. During World War I, German zeppelins dropped thermite-laden bombs which were considered an innovation at the time.

By World War II, thermite-laden high incendiary explosives became a part and parcel of both the Allies and Axis forces’ aerial bombing campaigns. According to some estimates, the Allies dropped some 30 million 4-pound thermite bombs on Germany and another 10 million on Japan during World War II. Thermite hand grenades were also used during the war to disable artillery pieces, without an explosion.

In modern conflict, thermite is most often used by espionage agents, or special operations teams due to its ability to burn intensely but without a bang.

Is it legal to use thermite in weapons?

The use of thermite in war is not prohibited under international law. However, the use of such incendiary weapons against civilian targets is barred under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons — Cold War-era guidance issued under the auspices of the United Nations.

“The problem with thermite is that it is rather indiscriminate,” Marina Miron, a military expert from King’s College London, told DW. “Therefore, while it is not banned per se, Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons actually limits its use to strictly military targets, given the fact that this munition can produce severe burns and respiratory injuries.”