West warns Russia could use terror weapon that vaporizes bodies alongside a massive Amphibious assault as invaders run into fierce resistance in Kyiv

• Brave civilian pictured trying to block Russian military convoy, reminiscent of Tiananmen Square's 'tank man'
• Came as Putin's forces bared down on capital Kyiv, with troops and citizens braced for street-to-street battle
• Russians thought to be trying to take an airport, allowing them to fly in reinforcements for an all-out assault
• It came as they suffered heavy casualties elsewhere in the country, though did capture key bridge in Kherson
• Putin called on the Ukrainian military to turn on their 'drug-addict' leaders, but there seemed little sign of that as civilians lined up to collect rifles and help defend the capital

Russia could use savage superweapons that vaporize bodies and crush internal organs if their assault of Ukraine becomes bogged down, Western officials warned tonight.

They fear Vladimir Putin could resort to high-power thermobaric weapons - dubbed the 'father of all bombs' - as brave Ukrainians resist his attempts to take control of Kyiv.

There are also concerns that units that are running behind schedule as they encounter stiff opposition could resort to indiscriminate shelling as a terror weapon.

Thermobaric weapons - also known as vacuum bombs - are high-powered explosive that use the atmosphere itself as part of the explosion. They are among the most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever developed.

A thermobaric bomb dropped by the US on Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017 weighed 21,600 pounds and left a crater more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) wide after it exploded six feet above the ground.

Thermobaric weapons were developed by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. In September 2007, Russia detonated the largest thermobaric weapon ever made, which created an explosion equivalent to 39.9 tons.

The U.S. version of the weapon reportedly costs over $16 million each.

'My fear would be that if they don't meet their timescale and objectives they would be indiscriminate in their use of violence,' the official said. 'They don’t adhere to the same principles of necessity and proportionality and rule of law that Western forces do.'

The bomb works by using oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, making it far deadlier than a conventional weapon.

While Russian special forces have reached the suburbs of Kyiv, the bulk of Russia's heavy armour is believed to be still more than 50km away from the capital.

Western officials have suggested Russia will kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his ministers if they seize Kyiv.

Russia is launching a massive amphibious assault to bring thousands of navy personnel ashore in Ukraine on Friday, as Kyiv puts up a more aggressive defense than Moscow ever expected.

The assault is already underway in Ukraine, and Russian personnel sailed through the Sea of Azov, coming into west of Mariupol, a senior U.S. defence official said. The amphibious assault represents a significant ramping up of the conflict, as the Russian navy has until now played a largely supporting role in the fight.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has staged two amphibious attacks - the other is in Crimea and could land troop sin Odesa.

The U.S. has counted 200 Russian missile attacks so far. While most have been launched toward Ukrainian military installations, some have hit civilian areas.

The senior U.S. defence official said Friday that Russia appears to have lost some of its momentum due to the Ukrainian's fiery resistance.

'We do assess that there is greater resistance by the Ukrainians than the Russians expected,' the official said, adding Ukraine's command and control of its military 'remains intact.'

'They are not moving on Kyiv as fast as what we believe they anticipated they would be able to do. That said, they continue to try to move on Kyiv.'

The official also said several hundred Americans have left Ukraine over the past few hours.

Still, Putin has only mobilized about one-third of the troops he has stationed at the Ukraine border, the official said.

Few expect Ukraine to emerge victorious from what is almost certain to be a prolonged, bloody, and vicious war - but so far, Kyiv's forces have managed to inflict heavy losses on Putin's troops.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today that Putin's forces had failed to achieve many of their first day objectives. He said Russia had lost more than 450 personnel so far. Ukraine put the figure closer to 800. Neither number has been independently verified.

Western officials also suggested that Russia is avoiding many urban areas in order to avoid being bogged down in street fighting that could create heavy casualties and slow their advance.

Chief of Defence Intelligence Sir Jim Hockenhull said: 'Russian forces continue to advance on two axis towards Kyiv. Their objective is to encircle the capital, to secure control of the population and change the regime.

'Russia continues to conduct strikes across Ukraine. Overnight Russia launched a concerted series of strikes on targets in Kyiv. Multiple Rocket Launchers have been employed in Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

'Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to offer strong resistance, focusing on the defence of key cities throughout Ukraine.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10552743/Furious-Putin-prepares-use-father-bombs-brave-Ukrainians-hold-advance.html

Hanks0000:
What got me most is " they might kill the Ukrainian president and the top officials" I hope that doesn't happen. And if it did happen, I hope the world responds in an agressive manner.

PENNYSWAP:


They won’t kill him ,He will be a prisoner of war

BBBmall25:
Putin, you will evetualy die like fowl

yanabasee:
Putin will be very stupid to let NATO know the magnitude of their nuclear blast.... they will build an all-weather air defense system that can withstand it and that will be the end of Russia.....

Aufbauh:
Can't one shadow walker quietly assassinate that 'stubborn goat' Putin in a cold blood & save Russians and Ukrainians this unwarranted war?

Rareoil:
There's no such thing as father of all bombs, what we have is Mother of all bombs (MOAB), which we have seen being used in Afghanistan in 2017.


Stop posting russian propaganda!!!

BBBmall25:
Putin, you will evetualy die like fowl

southsouthking:
I just want to wake up one morning, tune on the radio and hear there's peace on Earth.

4ckyou:


there's actually father of all bombs, go and make your research

Rareoil:



Does not exist dailmail is not a credible news source

Rareoil:
There's no such thing as father of all bombs, what we have is Mother of all bombs (MOAB), which we have seen being used in Afghanistan in 2017.


Stop posting russian propaganda!!!

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
if russia use father of all bomb then ukraine should respond decisively with mother of all bomb. at least sleepy joe can actually be useful.