Kathrine Frich
Dry, hot conditions can cause fires to spread rapidly through forests and fields.
Dry, hot conditions can cause fires to spread rapidly through forests and fields.
Ukrainian Forces Accused of Using Fire as a Weapon
A Russian soldier has claimed that Ukraine’s Armed Forces are taking advantage of hot weather conditions to ignite forest belts in active combat zones.
The report comes from the SVO (Special Military Operation) zone and was shared by a serviceman from the 42nd Guards Division, speaking to RT under the call sign “Maestro.”
Ammunition Catches Fire in Forest Blaze
Maestro described a tense moment when Russian troops were forced to evacuate an observation post due to a fast-moving fire allegedly started by Ukrainian forces.
The flames reached a Russian ammunition depot, sparking explosions and forcing soldiers to abandon the area.
“We managed to evacuate quickly. The only thing was that our ammunition depots caught fire. It was very unpleasant, there were a lot of explosions,” Maestro recalled.
A Costly Evacuation with Minimal Damage
Despite the chaos, the Russian unit managed to escape with limited losses.
But the experience showed them how vulnerable both equipment and troops can be when environmental conditions like fire are exploited in a conflict zone.
“Otherwise, we got off with minimal damage, but we had to leave the observation post so that we wouldn’t be hit by shrapnel from our own ammunition, which was burning,” Maestro added.
Weather as a Battlefield Advantage
In military environments, this can destroy supplies, disrupt visibility, force evacuations, and damage morale.
If used strategically, fire can function as both a weapon and a distraction, a low-tech tactic with high-stakes results.
Reports of Drones Starting Fires in Zaporizhia
This isn’t the first time Ukrainian forces have been accused of weaponizing the fire against their Russian opponents.
According to Russian sources, Ukrainian drone operators were previously caught setting fire to fields and civilian homes in the Zaporizhia region.
Russian Command Confirms Pattern
The deputy commander of the political department of the Russian group “Dnepr,” known by the call sign “Fara,” also commented on the situation.
He claimed that Ukraine’s military is deliberately using the hot summer weather to its advantage in order to inflict damage with minimal direct engagement.
Fires in the SVO Zone: A Growing Concern
As temperatures rise and the terrain becomes drier, fire as a battlefield tool may become even more common.
Russian forces are now more alert to the risks posed by both drones and weather, especially in areas with dense vegetation or stored ammunition.
The use of fire in warfare may be one of the simplest, but most destructive, strategies in the current conflict.
