Dragons unleashed: Ukrainian drones ignite Russian frontlines

Faced with a shortage of sufficient armoured vehicles, the Russians are attempting to overwhelm Ukrainian positions with infantry assaults. Neutralising the opponent's manpower is currently the primary aim of the Ukrainian army. The defenders, adapting to the enemy's tactics, have learned to disrupt these wave attacks.

Initially, they engage in heavy artillery bombardment, after which drone operators take over, literally targeting even individual soldiers.

The Ukrainian defence industry has also developed a weapon capable of mass elimination of threats from infantry, and more. They created Dragonis, or "dragon drones". These are unmanned aerial vehicles carrying incendiary substances. Their role is to destroy ammunition storage, trenches, and strike directly behind enemy lines.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces considered employing thermite mixtures in drones at the end of last year. It was determined that approximately 500 grams 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 size allows for the distribution of the burning substance, at a temperature of 2,500°C, over an area of about 100 metres.

Footage released by the 108th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade shows an FPV drone spreading thermite over Russian positions, rather than dropping grenades or flying to its target with explosives. This thermite is a blend of burning iron oxide and aluminium granules. Combined with barium nitrate, it forms a highly flammable substance that is virtually inextinguishable. It is a terrifying and deadly effective weapon.

At present, Dragonis drones are part of the equipment for at least four unmanned aerial battalions in the Donbas region. Initial feedback on their use has been positive.

- A rather dry autumn and strong winds afforded us a tactical advantage on the battlefield by setting the ground ablaze, resulting in 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 Mechanised Brigade in ArmyInform.

Depending on the density of the mixture's dispersal, the drone can cover different areas. The operator can release the entire payload in one location or set an appropriate interval from 25 to 150 metres. This flexibility allows for tailoring firepower to the target being attacked—from warehouses to dugouts to continuous trenches.

The use of thermite in warfare is not new. It has been commonly used in various incendiary bombs since World War I. Thermite was used as a flammable agent in German B-1E Elektron bombs, and the British deployed Baby bombs during that period. In the interwar years, thermite was used in, among others, Polish 12 kg wz. 38 incendiary bombs.

During World War II, both German and Allied forces utilised thermite mixtures in incendiary bombs. The Germans used the World War I-era B-1E. The British developed new IB-type bombs, also used by the Americans under the name AN-M50. These were instrumental in the infamous "firestorms", such as those in Dresden and Tokyo.

The massive destruction particularly affected Tokyo, which was predominantly wooden. The deadliest single bombing raid in history was Operation Meetinghouse, an incendiary attack that killed about 100,000 Tokyo residents in one night.

The change in bombing tactics by the American 20th Air Force resulted in the deaths of 500,000 Japanese and left five million homeless. Sixty-seven Japanese cities were nearly completely devastated due to low-altitude night bombing raids.

In Europe, the British had successfully utilised this tactic earlier. However, due to more solid, brick constructions, the initial wave of bombers would drop explosive bombs to enable incendiary substances to penetrate the buildings' interiors more effectively.

Ukrainians are utilising stockpiles of incendiary substances left over from Soviet times. The Soviet Army extensively used various versions of FZAB and ZAB bombs, where the thermite mixture was the primary incendiary component. The ZAB-50TG bomb, for example, includes two built-in chambers—one filled with powdered thermite and the other with napalm.

The Russians have recognised the new threat and complications posed by the use of Dragonis. "Unfortunately, they are really effective," noted the newspaper "Moscow Komsomolets". As of now, the Russians lack the means on the front to counter this new Ukrainian weapon.