Ukrainian forces thwart Russian advance, destroying feared TOS‑1A system
The Russians launched the attack with an entire column. Recordings, including footage from Ukrainian drones that captured the assault, revealed some of the equipment used and ultimately lost by the attackers. This includes several infantry fighting vehicles, a T-72B tank, and a TOS-1A system, which, due to its capabilities and manner of striking, is sometimes dubbed the "Russian's hellish weapon".
The TOS-1A, a rocket artillery system, was first produced in the late 1980s. The launcher is equipped with 24 rockets, each 22 cm in diameter, packed with about 45 kg of a thermobaric explosive charge. When these rockets hit their target, they trigger an explosion where the epicenter can reach temperatures of up to 3000 degrees Celsius.
Russian column on fire. TOS-1A destroyed
This explosion effect is akin to that of a nuclear blast. Though on a smaller scale and without radiation, the destructive capability of the TOS-1A system and its rockets stirs fear, as any object within the so-called zero zone of the attack is essentially vaporized.
The system's entire structure measures approximately 9.5 meters in length, weighs around 46 tonnes, and can reach top speeds of roughly 60 km/h. The equipment uses the chassis of a T-72 tank, making it mobile. However, from the Russian side, it has a significant limitation.
It has a relatively short range of impact, extending to a maximum of about 6 kilometers. This means TOS-1A systems must be relocated frequently, which results in them being often targeted and destroyed by Ukrainian forces.
The destroyed T-72B tank highlighted in the assault is a main battle tank, an advanced version of the T-72A, which entered service in 1985. It is among the most prevalent models of the T-72 family, although the particular tank lost in this incident was probably more valuable than others and came equipped with a mine plow for clearing or moving land mines.
The T-72B weighs around 44 tonnes, exceeding 9.5 metres in length and approximately 6.9 metres in width. Its standard weaponry includes a 125 mm caliber 2A46M cannon, along with a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm machine gun.
