Ukrainian drones now spray 2,500° C thermite streams right into Russian trenches | Hacker News Reader

Ukrainian drones now spray 2,500° C thermite streams right into Russian trenches

arstechnica.com

15 pointsrntn12 comments

I think this needs verification because it doesn't ring true to me.

What about it seems unlikely?

While I have never combined the activities, I do have some experience both flying drones and using thermite. The video showing a drone pouring a stream of molten metal down onto a line of trees looked straightforward enough that I could easily imagine how it might have been done. Thermite is not a complicated technology!

Isn't this against the Geneva convention? Flame throwers and Napalm are both outlawed, that would make this a Warcrime.

AFAIK, Napalm is illegal against a civilian population. IDK that it is illegal to use against military installations.

Not that I think it is necessarily a smart move on the part of Ukraine, since Russia can play this game too.

Allowable against military targets.

The geneva conventions apply only for wounded and sick on land(geneva convention I), wounded and sick on sea(geneva convention II), captured soldiers(geneva convention III) and at last civilians.

The Hague Conventions on the other hand limit what weapons can be used. in the 1899 article IV may be violated.

Russia uses TOS-1 thermobaric heavy flamethrowers A LOT in this war, so either this is lawful or no one cares.

Incendiaries are not banned for military targets. Even white phosphorus is only “restricted” such that you need to take precautions regarding collateral damage. And GC specifically doesn’t regulate arms it mainly deals with prisoners and such.

Russia is blowing up schools in Lviv, which is closer to Poland than Russia. I think that ship has sailed

As much as this is horrifying no matter from which point of view one looks at it, also because many of the Russian soldiers were either lured or coerced into fighting a war they didn't want against their close relatives, let's not forget that it all started with an invasion. Putin wanted it and he is responsible with all those who support him for all consequences.

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