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Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Newest TOS-3 Dragon Thermobaric Rocket Launcher for First Time, Video
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian forces have struck Russia’s newest TOS-3 “Dragon” heavy flamethrower system for the first time, using a drone to target the tracked thermobaric rocket launcher approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) behind the front line.
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According to Ukraine’s Third Army Corps on October 17, the strike was carried out by operators of the Muramasa unit, part of the Kraken Unmanned Systems Regiment, during the ongoing offensive operation known as “Vivaldi.”
🔥 Soldiers from Kraken unmanned systems regiment were able to track and destroy the Russian TOS-3 "Drakon" system.
— MAKS 26 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) October 17, 2026
This system is a modernized version of the TOS-1 with a range of up to 15 kilometers. pic.twitter.com/4wehcKp6V1
The Ukrainian military said the Russian launcher was identified after it had conducted a firing mission. Drone operators subsequently located and struck the system, with footage of the engagement released through the corps’ official channels.
The Third Army Corps described the attack as the first reported successful strike against the TOS-3, a recently developed Russian weapon designed to deliver thermobaric rockets against fortified positions and concentrations of troops.
The TOS-3 “Dragon” is the latest addition to Russia’s family of heavy flamethrower systems, following the TOS-1A “Solntsepyok” and TOS-2 “Tosochka.”
Unlike the wheeled TOS-2, the TOS-3 uses a tracked, tank-type chassis intended to improve mobility across difficult terrain while providing greater protection for its crew.
According to specifications shared by the Third Army Corps, the launcher carries 15 tubes for unguided thermobaric rockets and has an estimated firing range of up to 15 kilometers (9.3 miles).
The system is operated by a three-person crew and incorporates additional protective measures, including slat armor and explosive reactive armor intended to improve its survivability against incoming attacks.
Thermobaric weapons use explosive mixtures that generate intense heat and prolonged blast pressure, making them particularly destructive against enclosed positions, trenches, and fortified structures.
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The reported strike took place during Operation Vivaldi, an offensive campaign conducted by Ukraine’s Third Army Corps in the northern part of the Donetsk region.
During the same operation, Ukrainian forces deployed unmanned ground vehicles behind Russian positions, contributing to the liberation of two villages and the clearing of another settlement.
Ukrainian units also adapted ground-based attack drones with grenade launchers to engage Russian positions, demonstrating the expanding use of unmanned systems in offensive operations.
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