Molotov cocktail
A
Molotov cocktail (among several other names) is a
hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a
frangible container filled with
flammable substances and equipped with a
fuse (typically a
glass bottle filled with
flammable liquids sealed with a
cloth wick). In use, the fuse attached to the container is lit and the weapon is thrown, shattering on impact. This ignites the flammable substances contained in the bottle and spreads flames as the fuel burns.
Due to their relative ease of production, Molotov cocktails are typically
improvised weapons. Their improvised usage spans
criminals,
gangsters,
rioters,
football hooligans,
urban guerrillas,
terrorists,
irregular soldiers,
freedom fighters, and even
regular soldiers; usage in the latter case is often due to a shortage of equivalent military-issued munitions. Despite the weapon's improvised nature and uncertain quality, many modern militaries exercise the use of Molotov cocktails.
However, Molotov cocktails are not always improvised in the field. It is not uncommon for them to be mass-produced to a certain standard as part of preparation for combat. Some examples of this being done are the anti-invasion preparations of the
British Home Guard during World War II and the
Ukrainian units during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During
World War II, Molotov cocktails were even
factory produced in several countries, such as
Finland,
Nazi Germany, the
Soviet Union,
Sweden, and the
United States some featuring specially designed
frangible containers and fuses (such as the
US Frangible Grenade M1 for example).
Jewpedia here for u.
