Editing Thermobaric weapon (section)

====Russia====
[[File:ShikhanyNBCExercise2018-05.jpg|thumb|[[TOS-1|TOS-1A Solntsepyok]] is a Russian [[multiple launch rocket system]] capable of using thermobaric warheads.]]
Russian military forces reportedly used ground-delivered thermobaric weapons during the [[Battle of Grozny (1999–2000)|Battle for Grozny]] ([[First Chechen War|first]] and [[Second Chechen War|second]] Chechen Wars) to attack dug-in Chechen fighters. The use of TOS-1 heavy MLRS and "RPO-A Shmel" shoulder-fired rocket system during the Chechen Wars is reported to have occurred.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/fuelair/fuelair.htm |title=Foreign Military Studies Office Publications – A 'Crushing' Victory: Fuel-Air Explosives and Grozny 2000 |publisher=Fmso.leavenworth.army.mil |access-date=23 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508052201/http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/fuelair/fuelair.htm |archive-date=8 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Russia used the [[RPO-A Shmel]] in the [[First Battle of Grozny]], whereupon it was designated as a very useful round.<ref name="Lester2000"/>

It was thought that, during the September [[2004 Beslan school hostage crisis]], a multitude of handheld thermobaric weapons were used by the [[Russian Armed Forces]] in their efforts to retake the school. The RPO-A and either the [[RPG-7#Ammunition|TGB-7V]] thermobaric rocket from the RPG-7 or rockets from either the RShG-1 or the RShG-2 is claimed to have been used by the [[Spetsnaz]] during the initial storming of the school.<ref name=csmon>{{cite web |date=1 September 2006 |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0901/p07s01-woeu.html |title=Russian forces faulted in Beslan school tragedy |work=[[Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date=14 February 2007 |archive-date=6 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906221122/http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0901/p07s01-woeu.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=indybes>[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/8/B841BF15-DB81-4D65-96F5-9B10F3EC9D9A.html Russia: Independent Beslan Investigation Sparks Controversy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060829222201/http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/8/B841BF15-DB81-4D65-96F5-9B10F3EC9D9A.html |date=2006-08-29}}, [[The Jamestown Foundation]], 29 August 2006</ref><ref name="raw">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5302448.stm Beslan still a raw nerve for Russia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520112414/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5302448.stm |date=2012-05-20}}, [[BBC News]], 1 September 2006</ref> At least three and as many as nine RPO-A casings were later found at the positions of the Spetsnaz.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-27-fg-beslan27-story.html Aching to Know], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 27 August 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.kommersant.com/p607710/r_1/Searching_for_Traces_of_%E2%80%9CShmel%E2%80%9D_in_Beslan_School/ Searching for Traces of "Shmel" in Beslan School] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103062603/http://www.kommersant.com/p607710/r_1/Searching_for_Traces_of_%E2%80%9CShmel%E2%80%9D_in_Beslan_School/ |date=2009-01-03}}, ''[[Kommersant]]'', 12 September 2005</ref> In July 2005 the Russian government admitted to the use of the [[RPO-A]] during the crisis.<ref name="reversal">[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/a-reversal-over-beslan-only-fuels-speculation/211124.html A Reversal Over Beslan Only Fuels Speculation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903054655/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/a-reversal-over-beslan-only-fuels-speculation/211124.html |date=2011-09-03}}, ''[[The Moscow Times]]'', 21 July 2005</ref>

During the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], [[CNN]] reported that Russian forces were moving thermobaric weapons into Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zitser |first1=Joshua |title=Russian army deploys its TOS-1 heavy flamethrower capable of vaporizing human bodies near Ukrainian border, footage shows |url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/e7etI |work=Business Insider Africa |access-date=27 February 2022 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220227140221/https://africa.businessinsider.com/news/russian-army-deploys-its-tos-1-heavy-flamethrower-capable-of-vaporizing-human-bodies/e8sgz30 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-02-27 |title=What are thermobaric weapons? |language=en-AU |publisher=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-27/what-are-thermobaric-weapon-which-russia-may-use-against-ukraine/100865560 |access-date=2022-02-27 |archive-date=2022-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227031035/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-27/what-are-thermobaric-weapon-which-russia-may-use-against-ukraine/100865560 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 28 February 2022, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States accused Russia of deploying a thermobaric bomb.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1498282971412979713 |title=Oil depot burns after artillery shelling in Okhtyrka, Sumy Oblast. |date=2022-02-28 |via=Twitter |work=Kyiv Independent |access-date=2022-02-28 |quote=Mayor Pavlo Kuzmenko reported that Russian occupiers dropped a vacuum bomb. |archive-date=2022-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302172808/https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1498282971412979713 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Zengerle |first=Patricia |date=2022-03-01 |title=Ukraine envoy to U.S. says Russia used a vacuum bomb in its invasion |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-ambassador-us-says-russia-used-vacuum-bomb-monday-2022-02-28/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |archive-date=2022-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220301002014/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-ambassador-us-says-russia-used-vacuum-bomb-monday-2022-02-28/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Russia has claimed to have used the weapon in March 2024 against Ukrainian soldiers in an unspecified location (denied by Ukraine),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Saballa |first1=Joe |title=Russia Claims Use of 'Vacuum Bomb' in Ukraine |url=https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/03/18/russia-vacuum-bomb-ukraine/ |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=The Defense Post |date=18 March 2024 |language=en-us}}</ref> and during the [[August 2024 Kursk Oblast incursion|August 2024 Ukrainian incursion]] into [[Kursk Oblast]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Russia tightens security where Ukraine launched an incursion as fighting persists|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-tightens-security-kursk-region-incursion-ukraine/ |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=CBS News |date=11 August 2024}}</ref>