The Russian military has deployed the TOS-1 thermobaric 220mm rocket system, also known as the Solntsepyok “Scorching Sun” system, to neutralize Ukrainian paramilitary forces near the southeastern Ukrainian city of Gulya Pole. “The crew of the Solntsepyok flamethrower system destroyed a temporary deployment point of the nationalists in the Gulyapol region,” a Ministry of Defense representative said of the attack. The successful use of the TOS-1 marks the proof of the system The latest, highly successful, reportedly saw its unique capabilities force so-called neo-Nazi militia units to surrender in January. The Ministry of Defense reported at the time: “The military command of the Central Military District noted the high efficiency of the use of heavy flamethrower systems and the increasing frequency of voluntary surrenders by Ukrainian nationalists in the area of operations of the TOS crews, abandoning positions and disregarded the orders of the commander.” The commander of the Ukrainian TOS-1A unit said at the time about the use of the asset: “The efficiency of the heavy flamethrower system is achieved through the high skill of the personnel and their interoperability. Using heavy flamethrower weapon systems are most effective against enemy personnel entrenched in cover.”
TOS-1 began to be deployed on a large scale in Ukraine in May 2022 and has been revered for its ability to suppress infantry in fortifications. The artillery system uses thermobaric ammunition, which works by dispersing a chemical gaseous cloud into the air, which is then detonated by a vacuum explosive to release a high-pressure shock wave. The effect is that air is sucked out of confined areas with tremendous force, destroying buildings, caves, trenches and other fortifications, and rupturing the lungs of everyone nearby. Due to their special warheads, the TOS-1s are deployed under nuclear, biological and chemical protection units rather than regular Russian Army artillery units. TOS-1 has been deployed by Russian paratroopers since April, and their ammunition production has reportedly increased significantly in anticipation of the military deploying higher numbers of the system long after hostilities are likely to end. The system is also in high demand overseas, with Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Algeria among its foreign operators.