Ukrainian forces use GMLRS rockets in lethal assault, over 100 Russian soldiers killed near Volnovakha

In the town of Volnovakha, about 59 kilometers (37 miles rounded) from Marinka in the Donetsk region, Ukrainians launched an attack on the training grounds of the 39th Independent Motorised Brigade of the Guard. The Russian soldiers waiting there for the inspection by General Oleg Moiseyev, in charge of the 29th Army, were targeted.

Early reports mentioned around 65 casualties, but the eventual count exceeded 100. Several GMLRS rockets were used during the assault, specifically, the M30A1 variant equipped with an Alternative Warhead. This was verified by the footage of the attack and the nature of the injuries found on the Russian casualties.

The development of the M30A1 rockets was part of American initiatives to possess precision area weapons, akin to cluster weapons, but without their associated issues such as unexploded ordnance and humanitarian controversies.

Designed for area elimination of lightly armored vehicles or enemy infantry, the Alternative Warhead (AW) carries a payload of precisely 182,000 tungsten balls. The detonator is set to trigger a mid-air explosion, creating a lethal rain that eliminates all targets within its deadly radius. The impact force of each tungsten ball is akin to a bullet shot from an AKM or AK-74 rifle having a hardened steel core.

This design enables the penetration of commonly used helmets or bulletproof vests that rely solely on kevlar inserts. While steel or ceramic plates might offer substantial protection, it's unrealistic to protect every body part using hard ballistics.

This implies that, in practical terms, there's no effective protection against an AW warhead in open terrain other than seeking cover in a dugout or inside a nearby armored vehicle like a BTR armored personnel carrier or a BMP infantry fighting vehicle.