What is a thermobaric weapon, how does it function, and why is it prohibited in Russian tactics are all important questions.
When it comes to war and battle, the Russian military has a well-established tradition of employing lethal thermobaric weaponry, and there is growing concern that same methods could be deployed during the invasion of Ukraine, but to a far bigger level.

After Ukraine's ambassador to the United States claimed that a vacuum bomb (another name for the weapon) was deployed during the invasion, fears about Russia's deployment of thermobaric weapons have intensified.

The deployment of a thermobaric bomb, which draws oxygen from the surrounding air in order to produce a high-temperature explosion, has not been reliably confirmed, while film from Ukraine shows thermobaric rocket launchers atop Russian TOS-1 armored personnel carriers.

Despite the fact that it is uncertain whether Russia has already deployed them in Ukraine, Dr. Marcus Hellyer, a senior analyst at the Australian Institute for Strategic Policy, believes that it is only a matter of time until they do.

What is the mechanism of action of thermobaric weapons?
A thermobaric weapon, sometimes known as an aerosol bomb, is a type of ammunition with two stages of development.

It distributes an aerosol made of a very fine substance, ranging from carbon-based fuels to minute metal particles, through the first phase charge. That cloud is set ablaze by the second charge, causing a flame, a massive shock wave, and a vacuum as it draws in all of the surrounding oxygen.

An explosive wave has the potential to last far longer than a normal explosive and is capable of destroying human body parts.

They are available in a variety of sizes and are employed for a variety of reasons. What we can observe in Ukraine, according to Hellyer, is that Russia is employing them in their function as so-called "bunker breakers," in order to demolish defensive positions in the country. Caves and tunnel complexes are targeted by extremely massive, airborne versions of these weapons.

Who knows what happened to all of that weaponry.
Since the 1960s, both Russian and Western military have employed thermobaric bombs. It is on them that the United States has relied in its efforts to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan's mountains. He claims that Russia has more experience with these weapons than the United States and other Western countries.

... from very tiny tactical weapons to massive bombs launched from the air... Russia has technologies that cover the entire gamut of military capabilities. They have been in use for several years by separatists in the Donbas region who are backed by Russia, according to Hellyer.

As a hazardous escalation with significant humanitarian consequences, Human Rights Watch criticised Russia's use of munitions in Chechnya a year earlier in 2000.

When it comes to thermobaric weapons, how lethal can they be?
Specifically, Hellyer points out that thermobaric weapons are successful in their specialized objective of primarily demolishing defensive positions if used correctly. Despite the fact that they would not be utilized to break into a tank, they may be extremely damaging weapons against homes or other structures....

However, according to the Australian specialist, this weapon is not banned, despite the fact that its effects on veterans can be quite harmful due to the fact that it creates a vacuum and suckers air from of lungs.

Hellyer believes that the employment of thermobaric weapons in Ukraine will increase in the future, based on the fact that Russian techniques are pretty conventional.

Russia's tactics are known for being prepared to destroy anything and everything, which is one thing we know about them. A distinct trend can be observed in several cities, with an influx of Ukrainians. Russians will progressively resort to utilizing... any weapons they have at their disposal, including thermobaric weapons in metropolitan areas as a result of these developments, according to the author.