What are ‘dragon drones’ that Ukraine has been using to attack Russian positions in Kharkiv?

According to details shared by a British anti-war advocacy group called Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), Ukraine has previously used thermite dropped from drones to permanently disable Russian tanks, CNN News reported.

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | Updated: September 8, 2024 04:51 PM IST

2 min read

Videos have emerged across various social media platforms showing these fire-spewing ‘dragon drones’ burning trees and reportedly some Russian military vehicles. (Photo: Screengrab from Video on X/@Nastushichek)

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to rage, newer weapons of destruction have come into play, the latest being low-flying drones that Kyiv has been using to drop thermite incendiary bombs on Russian positions in Kharkiv region.

Videos have emerged across various social media platforms showing these fire-spewing ‘dragon drones’ burning trees and reportedly some Russian military vehicles.

According to details shared by a British anti-war advocacy group called Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), Ukraine has previously used thermite dropped from drones to permanently disable Russian tanks, CNN News reported.

What are dragon drones? How do they work?

The Ukrainian military began using these drones, which apparently, burns the area underneath it with thermite.

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter), thermite is a mixture of burning granules of iron oxide and aluminum.

“About 500 grams of thermite mixture can be placed under a standard FPV drone. The chemical reaction is triggered by remote control only shortly before the target appears in the area. The thermite burns at a temperature of about 2,500 degrees Celsius, which means that the hot mixture corrodes even iron in a matter of seconds, making mortars, grenades and cartridges become deadly to their owners,” the post highlighted.

The thermite is dropped “directly through the hatches, where the intense heat quickly ignites and destroys everything inside,” CNN reported quoting an AOAV report. “This precision, combined with the drone’s ability to bypass traditional defenses, makes thermite bombs a highly effective tool in modern warfare,” it stated.

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Effects of thermite on human body

According to a 2022 report on incendiary weapons, Human Rights Watch called them “notorious for their horrific human cost,” including inflicting fourth- or fifth-degree burns. Other incendiary weapons includes napalm and white phosphorus which have been used since World War I.

“They can cause damage to muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and even bones,” HRW stated.

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