Experiments on initiating detonation in disruptive explosives by a nanosecond high-intensity electron beam are considered. It is shown using elementary computational estimates that the critical conditions for initiating detonation in a disruptive explosive are not satisfied for the beam parameters described here. The results of experiments on the action of a pulsed electron beam on paraffin and wax model samples are considered. It is shown that the main factor acting on the samples is the cathode plasma torch.