The German tabloid Bild reports that Russia has escalated its use of military force in the conflict by deploying the ODAB-1500 bomb, a potent thermobaric weapon, targeting the village of Velyka Pysarivka in the Sumy region for the first time. This incident marked a significant intensification in the conflict’s dynamics.
The detonation of the ODAB-1500 bomb generated a massive smoke cloud that soared to a height of one kilometer. This weapon, stemming from the Soviet era, disperses a flammable aerosol approximately ten meters from its target before ignition, causing a catastrophic explosion.
In the course of the conflict, Russian forces had previously utilized smaller versions of the ODAB bomb, with weights ranging from 170 to 500 kilograms. The utilization of the 1.5-ton ODAB-1500 bomb signifies a substantial escalation in terms of firepower, representing a leap from the capabilities of earlier models.
Military analyst Alexander Kovalenko notes that the ODAB-1500 bomb utilizes ethylene oxide or propylene oxide as its explosive agents. The detonation of this weapon covers an effective destruction area of up to 300 square meters, generating a pressure of 90 to 120 atmospheres, and its explosive force nearly equates to 1 ton of TNT. The impact zone of the ODAB-1500 extends over an area of 500 square meters.
Kovalenko further comments, “The Russian Armed Forces have evidently overcome the challenges associated with achieving precise timing of detonation, considering variable delay mechanisms for prolonged flight, and have integrated advanced targeting technologies for deploying the larger ODAB-1500.”
Additionally, in a separate event within the Belgorod region of Russia, authorities discovered three aerial bombs in a day, including a KAB-1500, indicating an intensive aerial bombardment in the area with at least 12 bombs dropped within a week.
On March 27, an aerial assault by Russian forces on a residential area in Kharkiv resulted in the injury of a child under one year old due to shrapnel wounds.
Source: uawire.org
