Russia has allegedly used the world’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb after a terrifying video showed a huge mushroom cloud explosion in Ukraine.
The footage shows a massive explosion and ball of fire followed by a towering thick column of smoke rising high over already heavily damaged Vovchansk in Kharkiv region.
There has been no official confirmation or denial from Moscow as to whether the ODAB-9000 thermobaric or fuel-air explosive had been used.
The massive explosion comes as Russian troops seized the strategic town of Vuhledar in Donetsk region from the Ukrainians after a furious fight over many months.
Referred to as the ‘father of all bombs’, the ODAB-9000 creates a blast that generates intense pressure and heat, which can be lethal even to individuals sheltered inside buildings or bunkers.
The footage shows a massive explosion and ball of fire followed by a towering thick column of smoke rising high over already heavily damaged Vovchansk in Kharkiv region
The bomb referred to as the ‘father of all bombs’ creates a blast that generates intense pressure and heat, which can be lethal even to individuals sheltered inside buildings or bunkers
Ukrainian source Colonel Vitaliy Sarantsev said the claim over that the ODAB-9000 was used may be a Russian bid to demoralise the defence forces ‘intimidating the local population and destabilising the region’
It is designed to destroy enemy positions over a wide area including entrenched infantry and lightly fortified structures. The fuel-air explosion creates a prolonged blast wave and a vacuum, which can collapse buildings and cause internal injuries to those in its radius.
However, some experts have doubted whether the bomb has been used.
Sources say that ODAB-9000 is so heavy that it would have to be deployed from a Russian strategic bomber – for example the Tu-160, Tu-95 or Tu-22M3.
The aircraft would have to come so close that it could be shot down by a surface-to-air missile, and no movement of these bombers was recorded.
Ukrainian source Colonel Vitaliy Sarantsev said the claim over that the ODAB-9000 was used may be a Russian bid to demoralise the defence forces ‘intimidating the local population and destabilising the region’.
Spokesman for the Kharkiv Regional Military Command also denied the ODAB-9000 claim.
Despite this, Pool number 3 Telegram channel, with 343,000 followers, has claimed the bomb was a ODAB-9000.
However, some experts have doubted whether the bomb has been used. Sources say that ODAB-9000 is so heavy that it would have to be deployed from a Russian strategic bomber which would have to come so close that it could be shot down
The heavily damaged town of Vovchansk moments before the alleged ODAB-9000 was dropped
Vovchansk, in Kharkiv Oblast, before the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022
They said: ‘The Ukrainian Armed Forces have never been hit like this….the video shows the Russian army using an ODAB-9000 vacuum bomb with an explosive mass of over 7 tons.
‘It is considered to be the most powerful non-nuclear munition in the world.’
War analyst Sergei Karnaukhov, with more than 147,000 followers, echoed this report.
Political analyst Yury Baranchik, with 72,000 followers, said: ‘In Volchansk, the Russian army used the ODAB-1500 vacuum bomb for the first time – according to other sources, the ODAB-9000.
‘The media calls this bomb one of the most powerful non-nuclear munitions in the world – which is true….
‘The estimated mass of the explosive is 7,100 kg. Although there is little official data on this munition, the external effects are obvious.’
With Putin’s 72nd birthday coming up next week, Russian officials routinely seek ‘presents’ for his birthdays, and one might be this new bomb.
Ukraine confirmed yesterday that it was withdrawing forces from Vuhledar in Donetsk region in order to protect the army and equipment.
With Putin’s 72nd birthday coming up next week, Russian officials routinely seek ‘presents’ for his birthdays, and one might be this new bomb
An aerial view of the heavily damaged town of Vuhledar. The massive explosion comes as Russian troops seized the strategic town of Vuhledar in Donetsk region from the Ukrainians after a furious fight over many months
The seizure of the town is seen as a major victory for Moscow.
Vuhledar is situated on a railway which connects the area to the Russian occupied Crimea to the rest of Eastern Ukraine.
It is also seen as a key stepping stone towards the complete Russian takeover of the Donetsk region – which Russia has claimed sovereignty over since September 2022.
The strategic victory follows the Russian army’s fastest advancement across eastern Ukraine in more than two years.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
