Dramatic moment shockwaves rip through the air after terrifying Russian vacuum bomb attack in Ukraine

THIS is the terrifying moment shockwaves rip through the air after Russia launched a vacuum bomb attack in Ukraine.

Dramatic footage shows as series of explosions as Russian forces launch an offensive on Ukrainian positions in the Novomykhailivka area in eastern Ukraine.

Reports say Russian forces used TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS rocket launchers in the assault.

As the explosions go off, shockwaves can clearly be seen rippling through the air.

Footage then shows the devastation caused by the vaccum bombs with what appear to have been buildings completely flattened and turned to rubble.

Thermobaric, or vacuum, bombs are particularly lethal with the power to explode enemy troops' lungs.

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The deadly weapons are banned under the Geneva Convention and their use is likely to be considered a war crime.

The catastrophic weapons are among the most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever developed.

Thermobaric weapons, formerly known as fuel-air explosives, were originally developed by the Nazis in World War Two, and first used by the US in Vietnam.

They spread fine carbon metal particles into the air before igniting them.

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Due to the wide area of the ignited particles, the blast sucks in oxygen from the surrounding area, which is why it is called a vacuum bomb.

The bombs cause an enormous explosion, first by "sucking in" before a blast out. The blasts normally bring a shockwave with them, causing enormous damage.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of using the illegal weapon previously during his invasion of Ukraine.

Shortly after the start of the war reports emerged vacuum bombs were deployed near the city of Kharkiv.

A vacuum bomb was reportedly dropped on an oil depot, local officials claimed.

The city's mayor Pavel Kuzmenko claimed in a video message that a vacuum bomb had been dropped on an oil depot.

"A vacuum bomb has been dropped on an oil storage depot, containers with oil have been torn off," he said.

"The enemy vilely uses vacuum bombs banned by the Geneva Convention."

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, has claimed that Russia also used a vacuum bomb in Okhtyrka.

The bomb destroyed a Ukrainian army base, killing 70 soldiers, Sumy region administrative chief Dmytro Zhyvytskyy said on his Telegram channel.

Previously, Ukrainians claimed to have found parts of a vacuum bomb at Okhtyrka, 42 miles south of Sumy.

In March, footage emerged of a TOS-1A weapons system launching a salvo of rockets at the besieged city of Mariupol.

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The clip shows the deadly weapons being launched towards the targets sparking a fire around them.

Earlier that month the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the TOS-1A weapon system has been deployed.

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