The UK’s Ministry of Defence on March 9 claimed that Russia has admitted to using a thermobaric weapon system or “vacuum bombs” during its invasion of Ukraine. In a Twitter post, the ministry said that the “Russian [Ministry of Defence] has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine. The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects.” The post was accompanied by a video providing information about the weapon and what the ministry described as its “devastating impact.” Despite their effects, the Soviet-era weapons are not prohibited under international law, however they cannot be used if they will harm civilians. Most recently, they were used by coalition forces in Afghanistan to destroy mountain caves where al-Qaeda terrorists were hiding. They consist of a fuel container with two separate explosive charges which can be launched as a rocket or dropped from an aircraft as a bomb. When they make impact, they effectively …