Brave Ukrainians Seen Disabling Bomb With Their Bare Hands And A Water Bottle
Published
| Last updated
.png)
Ukrainian explosive disposal specialists have been praised for an incredible act of bravery after they disarmed a Russian bomb using only their bare hands and a bottle of water.
In footage released on social media, the weapons experts can be seen risking their lives to save others as they carefully pull apart the explosive.
The video shows them carefully working to disarm the Russian weapon as other shells are heard falling nearby.
Their incredible act has caught serious attention online.
Charles Lister, senior fellow and the Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism and Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute, described the bomb as being so powerful it could 'flatten a building'.
This #Russia-dropped bomb would flatten a building — and yet these #Ukraine EODs defuse it with 2 hands and a bottle of water, while shells audibly land nearby.
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) March 9, 2022
Mind boggling bravery.pic.twitter.com/KvCZeOxRyz
He went on to praise the pair of explosive ordnance disposal specialists for their 'mind boggling bravery'.
Sky News journalist Nick Stylianou also shared the footage to his Twitter account, explaining what the two specialists were doing with the bottle of water.
Ukrainian disposal experts diffuse an unexploded Russian bomb, while shells rain down around them. The water is to prevent static discharge. Steady hands, nerves of steel #Ukraine: pic.twitter.com/9fNplBEcK4
— Nick Stylianou (@nmsonline) March 9, 2022
"The water is to prevent static discharge," he said. "Steady hands, nerves of steel."
While the men in the video are being praised for their stunning act of bravery, others have wondered why they put themselves at such a risk.
"[A] second year engineering student can build a robot with a camera and a rotation mechanism with some watering mechanism," one person commented. "Why do we risk human lives?"
Many users seemed to agree - but his question was swiftly answered by another Twitter user, who identified themselves as a senior robotics engineer.
Senior robotics engineer here with 20+ years experience in engineering and nearly 15 more years as a cognitive scientist in decision making.
— Zytheran (@Zytheran) March 9, 2022
Because each EOD is a unique situation and robots generally have shit end-effectors, no touch, slow and need tech support. Human job.
The video has so far amassed nearly one million views on social media, and was released hours after Russia admitted to using thermobaric rockets 'that can rupture lungs' in its attack on Ukraine.
The Russian MoD has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine. The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 9, 2022
Watch the video below for more information about this weapon and its devastating impact.
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/d8PLQ0PhQD
Unlike conventional bombs, thermobaric weapons suck in oxygen from the surrounding air to create a high-temperature explosion.
In a post shared on Twitter, the UK's MoD wrote: "The Russian MoD has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine. The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects."
Back in February, The Telegraph reported that officials voiced serious concern that Putin would resort to the use of such weaponry. One official said they were 'very concerned at the attitude [Russian forces] would adopt' if the Ukraine resistance continued to thwart their plans.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.
Featured Image Credit: Nexta/Twitter