Pinocchio and thermobaric weapons: the occupiers are preparing to storm Popasna in the Luhansk region

The occupiers' main efforts are focused on preparations for the offensive operation in eastern Ukraine, which aims to establish full control over the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The enemy continues to shell the Popasna village in the direction of Luhansk. The goal is to cause fire damage to Ukrainian Armed Forces units and city residential areas. There is currently an active redeployment of occupation troops and military equipment from the back areas of the occupied territory of the Luhansk region to the front line.

According to local sources from the CI Prava Sprava's analytical department, the relocation of TOS-1 Pinocchio to occupied Luhansk was recorded, along with other types of weapons and equipment.
Heavy flamethrower system TOS-1 Pinocchio on the chassis of the T-72 tank is designed to destroy manpower, armoured vehicles and vehicles with projectiles with warheads of thermobaric incendiary action.

The warhead of a double detonation: the first charge is detonated at a height of 5–15 meters, creating a cloud of an aerosol mixture with a diameter of up to 50 meters, and the second charge ignites this mixture.

The installation can fire 30 missiles in a single volley, hitting an area ranging from one (inflammatory projectiles) to two (thermobaric projectiles) square kilometres. The application range is 400 meters to 6 kilometres.

The first mention of the presence in service of the so-called "LPR" dates back to August 2014. On August 12, 2014, the analytical department of Prava Sprava published information that the Luhansk People's Republic militants had 3 Pinocchio TOC-1 units aimed at Luhansk airport.

https://www.unian.net/politics/950383-u-luganskih-terroristov-poyavilis-3-ustanovki-buratino.html

The Russian media rushed to publish this information.

https://vz.ru/news/2014/8/12/700005.html

The presence of TOC-1 in the occupied territories of the Luhansk region was first reported in 2015. Prava Sprava reported that the Victory Parade would be used as a cover for the redeployment of 152-mm self-propelled howitzers Msta and TOC-1 systems  Pinocchio in the direction of Stanytsia Luhanska.
 https://espreso.tv/blogs/2015/04/29/ide_peredyslokaciya_boyovykiv_z_prylehlykh_rayoniv_luhanska

On October 2, 2015, Alexander Hugh, Deputy Head of the OSCE Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, stated that observers had seen a heavy TOS-1 Pinocchio flamethrower system at a test site near the village of Kruglyk.

https://www.rbc.ru/politics/02/10/2015/560e58709a7947e931992e4e

Russia began military exercises near Ukraine's border on January 11, 2021. The exercises were held on all-military training grounds in the Voronezh, Belgorod, Bryansk, and Smolensk regions.
According to Prava Sprava, the Buratino TOC-1 flamethrower systems and their upgraded versions of the Solntsepek TOC-1A were used in these exercises near the Ukrainian border for the first time in a long time. Subsequently, the Russian side was forced to confirm this information.

https://ua.news/ua/rossyya-gotovyt-hymycheskuyu-ataku-vblyzy-slavyanska-kak-povod-dlya-vtorzhenyya-v-ukraynu/

On January 18, 2022, I announced on the air of the leading Ukrainian broadcaster that local sources of Prava Sprava had recorded TOC-1 systems in the occupied areas of the Luhansk region, specifically at the landfill near the villages of Kruglyk and Mirne.

https://hromadske.radio/podcasts/donbas-ka-khvylia/na-okupovanykh-terytoriiakh-zafiksovane-novitnie-vazhke-ozbroiennia-rf-sniehyr-ov

On March 10, 2022, Ukrainian media reported that the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the use of heavy flamethrower systems (TOS-1A) with thermobaric missiles in Ukraine. The State Special Service reported this in a telegram channel with a reference to British intelligence.

Thermobaric weapons generate a high-temperature explosion by using oxygen from the surrounding air. Its high-explosive action lasts longer than a conventional explosive. It has the capability of destroying infrastructure, causing significant damage to human internal organs, and causing severe burns that can lead to death.
Russian troops have previously used thermobaric weapons in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

The use of thermobaric weapons is strictly prohibited by international law. It cannot be used for military purposes if it puts civilians in danger.

The TOC-1, if used by Russian occupiers, will be considered to cause excessive damage to critical civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities. Its use could result in a large number of casualties among Popasna's civilian population.

All responsibility for the possible consequences of the Russian occupiers' use of the heavy flamethrower system TOS-1 Pinocchio during the storming of Popasna will fall directly on the military-political leadership of the occupying country.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are repelling the enemy! We are under the reliable protection of our military. Keep calm and believe in the Armed Forces!

Most importantly - we believe in our victory!

D. Snegiryov