Weapons Used By Russia And How Ukraine Is Countering Them

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Thursday that Russia has used phosphorous bombs, which killed “adults and children”. As the war in Ukraine is intensifying, Russia has been using more and more dangerous and deadly weapons to achieve success in the assault launched about a month ago. The Ukrainian army is also giving Russians stiff resistance using the weapons provided by the West. Some of these weapons have inflicted serious damage to Russian artillery and tanks.

Here is a look at the weapons used in the Russia-Ukraine War:

Phosphorus bombs

The phosphorus bomb produces a large amount of smoke.
Photo Credit: Representative/Reuters

Phosphorus is a substance used by militaries across the world to cause smoke, illumination and incendiary munitions. It burns brightly when exposed to air and produces a large amount of smoke. Phosphorus is used to mark enemy targets and produce a smokescreen to hide troop movements. Zelensky said today that phosphorous used by the Russian military, while igniting, gave serious burns to the targets.

Kinzhal missiles

Russian fighter jets with the Kinzhal missile.
Photo Credit: AFP

These are the hypersonic missiles used by Russia I the Ukraine war. Kinzhal, Russian for “dagger”, was launched from the air, most likely by a MiG-31 warplane, according to the BBC. Hypersonic missiles can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5. According to Russia, Kinzhal has a range of 2,000 kilometres. The length of the missile is 8 metres.

9K720 Iskander ballistic missile

The Iskander missile used by Russia in Ukraine
Photo Credit: AFP

These short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) are leading the Russian attacks in Ukraine. The Iskander has the precision to hit targets 500 kilometres away. These missiles have destroyed homes, hospitals and schools in many Ukraininan cities. The Iskander is a multipurpose tool which comes in various versions - bunker buster, smart submunition, thermobaric and even EMP.

"Vacuum" bombs

Thermobaric bombs are one of the most brutal war weapons.

Also called thermobaric weapons, these are one of the most brutal war weapons that exist. The bombs are filled with explosive and chemical mix, which causes supersonic blast waves on explosion. These waves can obliterate everything in their path. They are also called vacuum bombs because these explosives suck in the oxygen from the surrounding the air to generate a powerful explosion. Several videos have been posted by Ukrainians, which show Russian thermobaric bombs destroying key structures in cities.

Cluster bombs

Cluster bombs scatter small bomblets over a wide area.
Photo Credit: Representative Photo

Russia was accused of using cluster bombs in an attack on Ukrainian pre-school in which a child was killed. These bombs scatter small bomblets over a wide area, which can result into a significant number of casualties. They can pose a huge risk to civilians present in the area. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other rights group have claimed that these bombs were used by Russia in the civil war in Syria. Though an international treaty bans the use of these cluster bombs, Russia is not a signatory to it.

War planes

The fighter jets have destroyed Ukrainian airbases and other targets.
Photo Credit: Reuters

The Russian military has used 75 fixed-wing bomber planes to target Ukrainian airbase and other targets, according to Ukraine's Defence Ministry. These planes are capable of firing air-to-ground missiles or cluster bombs to inflict quick and significant damage to the Ukrainians. Apart from these, there are also reports of the use of Mi-8 choppers.

Javelin missiles

Ukrainian army has received Javelin missiles from the West.
Photo Credit: Reuters

The US-made anti-tank missiles are in high demand in Ukraine. These weapons are giving the numerically inferior Ukrainian army a chance to wreak havoc on their attackers. Javelin has been developed by Lockheed Martin, which said on its website that the missile guides itself to the target after launch (“fire and forget” system), allowing the gunner to take cover and avoid counterfire, or load a new missile.

Bayraktar TB2 drone

Turkish-made Bayaraktar drones have been used extensively by the Ukrainians.

Another weapons used by the Ukrainian military against the Russians. This is a Turkish-made drone that can remain airborne for 27 hours. 

Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW)

NLAW is very effective in destroying enemy targets at a short distance.

Weighing just 12.5 kilograms, NLAW is a portable, shoulder-launched system that can be used by a single operator. Its armour-piercing warhead can destroy a heavily protected modern battle tank with one shot, and the system is effective at ranges between 20 and 800 metres.

Stinger Surface-to-Air Missile

The Ukrainian military has received the Stinger missile from the US.
Photo Credit: AFP

Among the biggest reasons why Russia still does not have air superiority over the skies over Ukraine, is this weapon system supplied by the West. It has taken out many Russian helicopters and has a range of up to 8 km.