Can a Molotov cocktail destroy a tank? Ukrainian brewery ditches beer during Russia crisis

As per AFP, a Ukrainian brewery in Lviv has begun manufacturing petrol bombs, aka Molotov cocktails, for use against Russian forces. The Pravda brewery switched from manufacturing beers to these bombs to help the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces.

AFP reported that almost 720,000 police and soldiers are already armed with these cocktails. The firm reportedly began producing these bombs after President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for even ordinary citizens to be combat-ready.

The brewery's owner, Yuriy Zastavny, told the agency:

"We do this because someone has to. We have the skills, we went through a street revolution in 2014. We had to make and use Molotov cocktails then."

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What is known about Molotov cocktails and their origin?

These improvised bombs are made with a mixture of petrol and alcohol or other flammable fuels or liquids. Contrary to popular belief, these weapons are not considered explosives. Instead, they are incendiaries, which refer to bombs that start a fire.

A Molotov cocktail is essentially a breakable glass bottle with a combustible fuel mixture with a wick near its cap. In practice, the wick soaked in the fuel is ignited, and the bottle containing the fuel mixture is thrown at the target. When the bottle breaks, the wick's flame ignites the fire.

The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene instead of fuel like petrol. Furthermore, any explosion or combustion of the bottle could be controlled to some degree with the wick or cloth's material and the fuel used to soak it. Highly inflammable liquid like alcohol will help the wick burn more quickly, reaching the primary fuel below the glass bottle's cap.

Usually, the bomb can have liquid fuels like petrol, alcohol, diesel fuel, methanol, kerosene, jet fuel, and more. Often, detergents, baking soda, motor oil, and more can be used as a binding agent to thicken the liquid fuel. This would make the bomb burn the thick liquid and is likely to cause dense smoke to choke out the enemy.

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Origin of Molotov cocktail

While the basic design of the bomb predates the first Soviet-Finnish war, the term was coined by the Finns around 1939. It was named after Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, who had propagated a deceitful message over the radio during the time.

In the transmission, he claimed that the bombing over Finland by the Soviets was a humanitarian food mission. Following this, Finnish troops named the petrol bombs Molotov cocktails, mocking Vyacheslav Molotov's original statement.

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Molotov cocktail in modern warfare: Can it destroy tanks?

The incendiary is unlikely to destroy modern-day tanks as even grenades barely damage them. However, the cocktails can be hurled at the tanks to potentially make them inoperable for a short period.

These petrol bombs can be thrown at the tank's ventilation system or air-intake, or the engine's radiator system to prevent its functionalities until the flame subsides. While unlikely, the bottle can also be thrown through an open-hatch, which may be extinguished easily but may damage the tank's electronics.

Furthermore, bottles aimed near the front can decrease the visibility of the tank's personnel.