Ukrainian Achilles drones turn Russia’s prized TOS-1A thermobaric launchers into wreckage on Kupiansk front

Ukrainian drones from the Achilles unit have destroyed two of Russia’s most prized thermobaric rocket launchers in the Kupiansk direction in eastern Ukraine. The powerful TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems were caught and eliminated in a single operation.

Achilles drone regiment takes out two TOS-1A rocket systems near Kupiansk

On 29 September, the 429th separate Achilles drone regiment shared video footage confirming a precise strikes on two Russian TOS-1A “Sontsepyok” multiple rocket launchers in the Kupiansk sector.

The Achilles crews reported:

“We struck two expensive enemy multiple launch rocket systems — TOS-1A ‘Soncepyok’ — in the Kupiansk direction.”

They noted that the same Russian launchers are frequently used to bombard towns and break through Ukrainian defenses.

“Heavy flamethrower” TOS-A

The short-range thermobaric rocket systems are one of Russia’s most potent rocket artillery assets. Mounted on a T-72 or T-90 tank chassis, the TOS-1A launches salvos of 24 thermobaric munitions capable of saturating a 200-by-200-meter area.

Despite their destructive potential, these systems have a limited effective firing range of just 10 kilometers, making them especially vulnerable to Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes.

Ukraine’s defense forces have previously destroyed multiple TOS-1A systems, and several have been captured and reused by Ukrainian units over the course of the war.