Ukraine Allegedly Uses Toyota Mirai as Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Bomb Against Russian Forces
A wrecked Toyota Mirai and some other parts allegedly made for a highly effective way to take out a potential Russian ammo depot.
Back in February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to what has become the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Now, over two years later, the war between these two countries rages on, displacing millions, killing tens of thousands of civilians, and creating a massive refugee crisis. However, if nothing else, Ukraine has proven to be incredibly resilient thus far, and that was on clear display recently when its military allegedly used a Toyota Mirai to create a makeshift bomb out of the vehicle’s hydrogen fuel cell to use against Russian forces.
According to the Euromaidan Press, Russian forces had retreated to an aggregate plant after failing to conquer the town of Vovchansk in Ukraine recently, but Ukrainian forces allegedly used a rather scrappy and innovative tactic to help in that endeavor. They sourced parts from a wrecked Toyota Mirai – taking its entire hydrogen fuel cell unit out of the car – along with various other parts from electric vehicles they found to create a makeshift bomb detonated by plastic explosives. From Euromaidan Press:
Suppressing the Russian positions at the plant was a challenging task for the Ukrainian fighters. Previous guided bomb strikes on the plant by the Ukrainian Air Force were no longer possible due to a shortage of foreign military aid. Regular aerial drones also had limited effectiveness due to their small explosive charges.
For this reason, Ukrainian fighters in the area had to improvise using a highly innovative method to successfully destroy the Russian firing positions at the plant. They salvaged parts from wrecked civilian electric cars to create drones and bombs. Batteries and alternators from electric vehicles like Teslas were repurposed as power sources for drones, helping to sustain the Ukrainian drone force. This resourceful approach enabled them to overcome the limitations imposed by the shortage of foreign military aid and maintain pressure on the Russian positions.
Given the circumstances of the battle of Vovchansk and the disruption of operations by Russian electronic warfare systems, the Ukrainians had to adopt a different approach. They decided to use spare parts from wrecked electric vehicles to create an innovative bomb. This bomb was built using a fully loaded hydrogen fuel cell from a wrecked Toyota Mirai car and weighed over two hundred kilograms. It was capable of inflicting severe damage on Russian defenses, comparable to an aerial bomb.
Once the bomb was ready to go, Ukrainian forces allegedly used a remotely operated ground drone to transport it into position, and thanks to cover provided by trees, Russians were unable to detect it. Once the drone reached the building Russian forces had occupied, the bomb was detonated, and it was able to “generate powerful blast waves, fireballs, debris, and mushroom clouds,” according to this particular report, “resulting in a powerful explosion that caused significant structural damage.”
🫡Бійці РУБпАК “Khorne Group” 116 ОМБр поділилися з нами кадрами своєї роботи знищення кацапів на Вовчанському агрегатному заводі
😈200 кілограм пластиду та водню – і рецепт запуску московитів в космос готовий!
💥 Тож насолоджуйтесь кадрами креативності та великого БУМу”.
— DeepState UA (@Deepstate_UA) July 28, 2024
It’s believed that the Russians were storing ammunition in the building, which further added to the explosion, as we can see firsthand in this incredible footage. Russian troops were forced to evacuate the site – their sole remaining firing position in town – making for a major win in the ongoing conflict. It’s an incredible story, indeed, and proof that a little ingenuity – and a hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai – can make a big difference when you’re fighting an enemy with seemingly more far resources.
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Editor’s Notes: This article was originally published using the words, “hydrogen bomb.” No one is claiming that Ukraine detonated the type of thermonuclear weapon commonly referred to as a hydrogen bomb. Instead, it was a reference to the fact that the Toyota Mira is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle, and that hydrogen itself is the alleged fuel used to make this weapon. Further, while this story is making the rounds on various automotive enthusiasts sites, it’s worth noting that the original source, Euromaidan Press, is “an English-language news website launched in 2014 by contributors from Ukraine, sponsored by reader contributions and the International Renaissance Foundation. It shares its name with the Euromaidan movement in Ukraine.” This story has not yet been confirmed or reported on by major international news outlets.
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