Ukraine unleashes 'dragon drones' to scorch Russian forces

Due to a shortage of armored vehicles, Russians are attempting to overwhelm Ukrainian positions with infantry attacks. Neutralizing enemy manpower is currently the main objective of the Ukrainian army. In response, Ukrainian forces have adapted to break up these wave attacks.

Initially, they conduct heavy artillery shelling, followed by drone operators who target even individual soldiers.

The Ukrainian defense industry has also developed a weapon to neutralize threats, not just from infantry. They've created Dragonis, also known as "dragon drones." These are unmanned aerial vehicles carrying incendiary materials. Their mission is to destroy ammunition depots and trenches and strike directly behind enemy lines.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces considered using a thermite mixture in drones as early as the end of last year. It was determined that about 18 ounces of the mixture could be loaded into a standard FPV drone. A chemical reaction is triggered via remote control shortly before the drone reaches its target. The payload can spread a burning substance, with a temperature of 4,532°F, over an area of about 328 feet.

Footage published by the 108th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade shows an FPV drone spreading thermite—a mixture of burning iron oxide and aluminum granules—over Russian positions. Combined with barium nitrate, it creates a highly flammable substance that is almost impossible to extinguish, making it a terrifyingly effective weapon.

Currently, Dragonis drones are part of the arsenal for at least four unmanned aerial battalions in the Donbas. Initial assessments of their use are positive.

- A rather dry fall and strong winds have given us a tactical advantage by allowing us to burn the ground, leading to the destruction of enemy positions and various sites—both open with ammunition and some observation and firing points - explained Yuri Fedorenko of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade to ArmyInform.

Depending on how the mixture is spread, the drone can cover different areas. The operator can release the entire payload in one spot or set intervals from 82 to 492 feet. This flexibility allows adjustment of firepower depending on the target—whether warehouses, dugouts, or extended trench systems.

The use of thermite in warfare is not new. It has been commonly used in various incendiary bombs since World War I. Thermite was employed as a flammable agent in German B-1E Elektron bombs and by the British in Baby bombs. During the interwar period, thermite was used in Polish 26-pound wz. 38 incendiary bombs, among others.

In World War II, both German and Allied forces used thermite mixtures in incendiary bombs. The Germans reused World War I-era B-1E bombs. The British developed new IB type bombs, also used by Americans under the name AN-M50, during infamous "firestorms" in cities like Dresden and Tokyo.

The massive devastation was particularly pronounced in Tokyo, primarily due to its wooden structures. The deadliest single bombing raid in history, Operation Meetinghouse, was an incendiary attack that killed about 100,000 residents of Tokyo in one night.

The American 20th Air Force's change in bombing tactics resulted in the deaths of 500,000 Japanese and left five million homeless, with 67 cities almost entirely burned out from low-altitude night bombing raids.

In Europe, the British had successfully used this tactic before. Due to more robust brick constructions, the first wave of bombers would drop explosive bombs to facilitate the entry of incendiary materials into the buildings' interiors.

Ukrainians are using stockpiles of incendiary materials left from Soviet times. The Soviet Army extensively used various versions of FZAB and ZAB bombs, primarily filled with thermite mixtures, though not exclusively. The ZAB-50TG bomb, for example, has two chambers: the front filled with powdered thermite, the rear with napalm.

The Russians have taken note of the new threat posed by the Dragonis drones. "Unfortunately, they are really effective," noted the newspaper "Moscow Komsomolets". For now, the Russians lack the means to counter this new Ukrainian weapon on the front lines.