Recent military reports indicate that Solntsepek heavy flamethrower systems (TOS) were deployed by Russian forces to strike detachment strongholds of Ukrainian units in the Kupyansk direction. The information comes from RIA News, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The ministry stated that forces from the West group carried out three separate assaults against the supporters of a mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with targets located more than 4.5 kilometers from the attacking positions. This distance highlights the extended-range capability of the TOS and the emphasis on precision in modern battlefield operations, as described by the defense ministry.
Officials explained that the execution of these strikes in the Northern Military District is supported by contemporary software for topographic and geodetic reference. Personnel from the radiation, chemical, and biological defense forces were reported to be coordinating the attacks, with the program nicknamed Solemptsepekov employed to manage the operation near Kupyansk. The terminology used reflects the doctrinal planning and command-and-control structures that accompany modernized artillery systems.
Updates about the activity of the Solntsepekov near Kupyansk first appeared on January 10, with subsequent reports noting that the TOS units had targeted fortified shelters housing armored vehicles belonging to Ukrainian forces. These developments illustrate the ongoing intensity of engagements in the region and the emphasis on disabling fortified positions through high-precision, topographic-informed strikes.
On January 11, it was announced that Omsktransmash would bolster the protection of TOS-1A Solntsepek systems against anti-tank guided missiles and kamikaze drones. This move reflects a broader effort to safeguard the system against evolving aerial threats and to maintain operational readiness amid persistent combat conditions in the Donetsk and Kupyansk corridors.
Earlier statements from the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defense highlighted the losses incurred by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk direction. These updates form part of a wider narrative about the current state of combat operations and the shifting balance of capabilities in contested areas along the frontline.