Turchynov: Ukrainian army to receive thermobaric grenades and rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers
Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, visited the armed forces’ Honcharovskyi training ground, where new weaponry and military equipment designs were being tested.
As reported by the NSDC’s press service, Turchynov was shown machine guns, sniper rifles, hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, mortars, anti-tank missile systems and their ammunition.
He drew special attention to the thermobaric ammunition (which disperse combustible material and detonate the resulting gas cloud). According to the NSDC, demonstrations were made to Turchynov of the effective destruction of targets during tests of hand-held thermobaric grenades and rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine are due to receive them in the near future,” Turchynov said.
The NSDC secretary also reported on the rectification of shortcomings noted by soldiers while operating the new 120-mm mortars under combat conditions. Turchynov also said that 60mm mortars may be used in the Donbas, as they are capable of taking out targets accurately, and are not prohibited by the Minsk agreements.
A Horlytsia unmanned aircraft system and a Phantom 2 unmanned combat transportation vehicle equipped with missile weaponry were also exhibited at the training ground.