UKRAINE: 3 questions - 3 answers, Part 5: Which weapons?

The fighting in Ukraine continues and we keep answering questions about the conflict. This time, the answers come from Colonel Markus Reisner. He heads the development department at the Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt.

This is what the Bundesheer expert says:

What weapon systems is the West sending to Ukraine and why specifically these? Can the Ukrainians use these weapons immediately without training?

Before the attack, the West delivered mainly light anti-tank weapons and light anti-aircraft guided missiles. They are easy to use and in their simplest application level require only minimal training or briefing. Their use is difficult for an attacker to detect and therefore poses an immediate threat in combat.

The Russian rocket launcher TOS-1 "Buratino" fires "thermobaric" warheads. The effect on the target brings widespread death and destruction. Is the use in urban areas regardless of the civilian population to be feared?

Unfortunately, with increasing resistance from Ukrainian troops, this is to be feared. At the beginning of the Russian offensive, Russian troops already used such weapons as artillery preparation for the so-called "breakthrough attack". It is hardly possible to comply with essential principles of international humanitarian law in the confusing urban terrain. This includes the principle of distinction (who is a civilian, who is a soldier?) as well as the principle of proportionality (preservation of civilian residential areas).

Is it possible that Ukrainian nuclear power plants could be damaged by the fighting and thus lead to a second Chernobyl incident?

That is entirely possible. However, both sides are likely fully aware of the danger of nuclear contamination caused by this. Chernobyl was taken over without a fight by Russian troops and shortly thereafter, photos were published showing Ukrainian technicians together with Russian soldiers at the control panels. The future danger lies mainly in the fact that the operating crews of the nuclear power plants may hastily leave their workplaces, causing the situation to spiral out of control.

BUNDESHEER on the Internet