As the war rages in and around Kyiv, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US and human rights groups have accused Russia of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs on Ukrainians. A number of international organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the weapons.
Russian forces appeared to have used widely prohibited cluster munitions, according to the organisations, with Amnesty accusing them of attacking a preschool in northeastern Ukraine while civilians took shelter inside. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, accused Moscow of using a thermobaric weapon known as a vacuum bomb.
“They used the vacuum bomb today. The devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large,” the ambassador told reporters. The Ukrainian claims are yet to be confirmed on the ground and Reuters quoted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying, “If that were true, it would potentially be a war crime.” She noted that there are international organisations that would assess that and President Joe Biden’s administration “would look to be a part of that conversation.”
WHAT IS A VACUUM BOMB?
Weapons have been upgraded in response to technological advancements and the fast-paced nature of warfare. While most weapons use explosives to throw metal fragments at targets, a new type of ammunition focuses on blast as its primary output. Thermobaric weapons are one type of weapon that employs the effects of temperature and pressure on the target.
A vacuum bomb, also known as a thermobaric weapon, draws oxygen from the surrounding air to create a high-temperature explosion, typically producing a blast wave that lasts much longer than that of a conventional explosive and capable of vaporising human bodies.
It is a two-stage munition, also known as an aerosol bomb, with the first charge distributing aerosols made of very fine material ranging from a carbon-based fuel to tiny metal particles. The second charge ignites the cloud, creating a shock wave that absorbs oxygen and creates a vacuum around its target. According to experts, the blast wave of a vacuum bomb lasts significantly longer than that of traditional explosives.
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MUNITION
According to Amnesty International, the use of weapons that are inherently indiscriminate, such as cluster munitions, is prohibited under international humanitarian law. It is a war crime to launch indiscriminate attacks that kill or injure civilians. According to Dr. Marcus Hellyer, senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, vacuum bombs will not be able to penetrate a tank, but they could be a very destructive weapon against an apartment complex or other building.
“They are not illegal, despite the fact that their effects can be quite horrific, due to the effect of creating a vacuum and sucking the air out of defenders’ lungs.” “We know from Russian tactics that they are willing to destroy everything,” Dr Hellyer added.
