"Pure genocide": What makes the "Shaheds" unique, which struck homes in Sumy (video, photos).

On the morning of November 22, the Russian Armed Forces attacked a residential neighborhood in Sumy. The head of the regional military administration, Vladimir Artyukh, reported that the city was targeted by kamikaze drones equipped with shrapnel.

According to him, an airstrike was carried out using "Shaheds". Four drones were aimed at the city, specifically at a densely populated area.

During the previous shelling, the Russian Armed Forces employed cluster munitions. This time, drones armed with shrapnel were launched at Sumy.

"This weapon is used to eliminate personnel, specifically targeting people. It is not aimed at objects but rather at maximizing casualties," — explained the head of the Sumy regional military administration.

As a result of the attack, private homes were damaged, and civilians were injured. There are both wounded and fatalities.

"This is pure genocide," — emphasized Artyukh.

The Sumy regional prosecutor's office reported that an investigation is underway regarding the commission of war crimes that resulted in loss of life. Law enforcement officials determined that around 05:10, the enemy utilized methods of warfare prohibited by international law, attacking civilian infrastructure in Sumy using UAVs.

As a result of the attack, two men were killed, and another 12 individuals were injured. Apartment buildings, private homes, vehicles, and service stations were damaged.

What is known about "Shaheds" with shrapnel

In Defense Express, it was explained that these refer to ready-to-hit elements, most commonly in the form of small balls that scatter upon detonation. They dominate the explosive effect of the munition and become the primary means of inflicting damage.

Analysts emphasized that such munitions are most effective against personnel exposed and outside of cover. In the case of an attack in the city center, this indicates an intent to kill civilians.

This may involve the use of Shahed-136 with a TB warhead BCh-50 — a thermobaric munition that the Russian Armed Forces "enhanced" with 2,300 steel balls measuring 9 mm in diameter. In this scenario, shrapnel is merely one of two means of damage, with the thermobaric component featuring a solid mixture of single-action being the primary one. However, the publication does not rule out the possibility that Russia has created a warhead exclusively designed for shrapnel.

"At the same time, its actual effectiveness will be significantly lower because shrapnel has limited ability to penetrate obstacles," — noted the article.

It is worth recalling that on the morning of November 21, the Russian Armed Forces attacked Dnipro. Analysts demonstrated that cruise and ballistic missiles approached the city from three directions.

On November 22, traces of air defense activity were observed in Mariupol. The city experienced partial power outages, trams came to a halt, and traffic lights went out. Russian occupiers organized a "total cleanup" in the areas.