Ukrainian dragon drones: Igniting panic and destruction in russian forces
The Russian section of the BBC analyzed recordings recently published by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The videos show advanced drones that do not simply drop bombs or fly straight into their targets. Instead, these drones burn everything in their path using an incendiary mixture that reaches 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Dubbed "Dragon drones," these devices have caused panic among Russian soldiers.
Trees provide natural cover for ground troops, but only for a while. Now, the forests where soldiers hide can become deadly traps. This is due to new drones employed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces over the past week.
4,500 degrees Fahrenheit
According to the BBC, in early September, blogs related to the war in Ukraine featured videos showing drones dropping flammable substances on forests. As stated in the annotations, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are allegedly targeting the Russian military hiding under tree canopies, the article reads.
The BBC adds that trees really do help soldiers move covertly, but if a fire breaks out in the forest, staying there becomes dangerous.
Channel 24, which accessed the drones' technical specifications, reported that in just 20 seconds, a drone could set fire to a 330-foot-long strip of forest.
Destroys military equipment, detonates ammunition
The substance released by the drones is called thermite. It is a powdered mixture of aluminum or magnesium with oxides of certain metals—most commonly iron. When ignited, this mixture burns, releasing large amounts of heat, up to 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Extinguishing such a fire is very difficult.
It can cause more than just a forest fire. If military equipment is dusted with the mixture, it can be destroyed. The BBC writes that thermite is also dangerous for a field depot because it can lead to detonation.
This mixture has been used in drones before, albeit in a slightly different way—both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries previously dropped incendiary ammunition from drones.
The BBC reports impressive combat results. Drones drop a burning incendiary mixture, leading to forest fires. However, there is currently no information on the serious consequences of such operations in open sources.
Russian propagandists also write about the effectiveness of the drones. "If the goal is to burn everything and everyone—forests, positions, soldiers, units—then this is an effective weapon, especially now, when serious fires are raging in the Donbas," writes the channel "Veteran's Notes."
"What's important here is something else: the enemy is innovating, testing, observing, drawing conclusions, and improving. There is no way to stay behind," the channel adds.
