Ukraine’s new fire breathing drones rain molten metal on Russian troops. The appropriately named dragon drones use a substance called thermite, a mixture made from metal powder and powdered iron oxide or rust, to essentially rain fire down on the forest where the Russian troops are. Thermite can burn more than 4,000 degrees fahrenheit which is hot enough to burn or damage just about everything, including military grade vehicles. When used on humans thermite can be fatal and those that survive are left with four or five degree burns that can take extensive care to recover from.

Thermite’s effects are similar to other substances such as phosphorus and napalm, they are also made to cause damage with burn or respiratory injury. It is not illegal to use these weapons in war but it is illegal to use these kinds of weapons on civilians or military targets inside populated areas. So far Ukraine has only used the substance on military targets.

This is not the first time thermite has been used as a weapon in war. During World War 1 German Zeppelins would drop thermite-laden bombs. While regarded as an innovation at the time the bombs often missed their target and would cause significant civilian casualties. During World War 2 both Germany and the allies used thermite aerial bombs to destroy military grade vehicles.

The fear of the drones and the liquid they drop is likely to cause psychological damage to the enemy as well as physical destruction. Ukraine seems to have a limited supply of thermite drones at the current moment and some experts believe that this will cause Russia to ramp up their own use of dragon drones, especially if they are effective for Ukraine.