The Russian TOS-1A thermobaric rocket launcher is one of the most devastating weapons in the Russian arsenal. It has been used to devastating effect in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where it has been used to break through Ukrainian defensive positions and flush out rebel forces.
However, in recent weeks, Ukraine has successfully used the same weapon against Russia’s forces. On Valentine’s Day, Ukrainian forces launched a bloody attack on Russian forces stuck in a minefield near the eastern town of Vuhledar, taking out at least 30 armoured vehicles and a TOS-1A rocket launcher.
The destruction of the rocket launcher is particularly significant, as it is one of the most powerful weapons in the Russian arsenal. It fires rockets that can melt human organs, making it particularly suited to breaking enclosed bunkers. It has also been used elsewhere in Ukraine to flush out Ukrainian resistance fighters holed up in the Mariupol steelworks during the months-long siege of the city.
According to British military officials, Russia’s elite 155th and 40th Naval Infantry Bridges have sustained very high losses in Vuhledar and are now likely combat ineffective. This is significant as Russia had been attempting to advance on Vuhledar as part of its latest offensive to capture more territory in the Donbas.
However, pro-Russian forces have since advanced on Bakhmut, another key target for the Russian offensive, and taken a nearby railway station. This suggests that Moscow’s forces are still making progress in their offensive efforts, despite the losses sustained at Vuhledar.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence also said that Russian forces are under significant political pressure to make gains in the region in time for the one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion later this week. This suggests that the conflict in Ukraine is far from over, and that Russian forces will continue to use the TOS-1A rocket launcher in the coming weeks and months.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen how successful the Russian offensive will be in the long-term. Intelligence officers inside Nato no longer believe Russia has the firepower to carry out a successful assault on the eastern Donbas region, and many are predicting that 2023 will be the year of a Ukrainian counter-offensive supported by donations of Western weapons.
In the meantime, the TOS-1A thermobaric rocket launcher will continue to be a powerful weapon in the Russian arsenal, and one that could have devastating consequences for Ukraine’s forces if it is used to its full potential.
