"If It Touches the Body, It Melts Bones"... Did Putin Unleash the 'Devil's Weapon'?

There have been renewed claims that Russia used incendiary bombs, known as "devil's weapons," in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Bulydar. Incendiary bombs create flames that enable mass casualties, and when they come into contact with the human body, they can melt bones, classifying them as inhumane weapons.

It was claimed that Russia used smoke grenades in Bulyedar, a city in southeastern Ukraine, on the 11th (local time). [Image source=Telegram]

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On the 13th (local time), the British Daily Mail reported that since the 11th, videos showing incendiary bombs raining down on Bulydar have been spreading via Telegram. Bulydar is a frontline area where the eastern and southern fronts intersect.

The outlet pointed out, "Russian President Vladimir Putin is using deadly bombs to bring hell to Ukraine."

The released footage shows flames pouring down in what appears to be a residential area. The video was filmed by a Ukrainian soldier, and it is known that the Ukrainian General Staff released the footage.

Earlier, in September last year, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense posted related videos on its official Twitter account, claiming that Russia used thermite incendiary bombs in the village of Otchern in Donetsk Province. This area was occupied by Russian forces after Russia's invasion of Ukraine but was retaken by Ukraine's counteroffensive.

A Ukrainian soldier stands in front of the destroyed Antonovsky Bridge in Kherson, southern Ukraine.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

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Incendiary bombs are used to destroy or neutralize urban areas, jungles, and military facilities. Depending on the charge, they are classified as thermite incendiary bombs, phosphorus incendiary bombs, or oil incendiary bombs.

In particular, thermite incendiary bombs use a mixture of aluminum and iron oxide as the combustible material, generating temperatures exceeding 2400 degrees Celsius when dropped from the sky. This extreme heat melts bones and flesh upon contact with the human body, causing severe burns and intense pain.

Accordingly, incendiary bombs were banned under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons adopted in Geneva, Switzerland, in October 1980, and are currently only permitted for use as smoke or illumination devices. The international community considers the use of thermite incendiary bombs a war crime.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is initiating compulsory investigation procedures to punish Russian war criminals. Since October last year, Russia has persistently attacked the capital and gas and power plant facilities within Ukraine, and such deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure are interpreted as acts of war crimes.

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