Representatives of the Ukrainian National Guard (NGU) announced the destruction of Solntsepiok on the night from Wednesday to Thursday. They also posted a recording of the action on Telegram. The Russian equipment was located after its crew opened fire on Ukrainian army positions. “After receiving information from comrades, pilots from the Lasara Group, using heavy drones equipped with bombs, accurately fired at the enemy target,” says the NGU commander, Oleksandr Piwnenko, in a statement.
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What losses did the Russian army suffer?
Who destroyed the Solntsepiok system?
What actions did the Lasara Group take?
What are the properties of thermobaric missiles?
The Lasara Group is a unit of the Ukrainian special forces. He specializes in attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles. It was established in 2022 as a group of volunteers, and its members built and purchased the first drones at their own expense. Currently, it operates in the structures of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and is one of the most effective army units. As Forbes reported in October, the Lasara Group has already destroyed Russian military equipment worth approximately $12 billion since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Solncepiok fires thermobaric missiles. It was supposed to be resistant to drone attacks
Sołncepiok, meaning “sunbeam”, is a heavy rocket launcher based on the T-80 tank. The weapon is used to destroy vehicles, buildings and fortifications. Fires thermobaric missiles, also called vacuum bombs. When detonating, they suck in air, causing sudden pressure changes that are deadly to humans.
The launchers have been produced since the 1980s, but a new version was created this year. “They have received a modernized protection system against unmanned aerial vehicles, developed based on combat experience,” said factory representatives in a message published on Telegram. They are characterized by very high striking power. They also have a disadvantage – depending on the version, they can shoot at a distance of only 6 to 15 km. This allows Ukrainian defenders to effectively destroy these machines. Meanwhile, the cost of one vehicle is approximately USD 8 million.
