How US-supplied shells crammed with anti-tank mines helped defeat a brigade of Russian marines in the battle for Vuhledar

• Ukraine's unexpected use of remote mines helped give it the upper hand in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
• Ukraine has been using US-supplied remote anti-armor mines fired in shells to destroy Russian tanks.

Ukraine's use of US-supplied remote anti-armor mines has helped stop Russian forces and destroyed its tanks and armored vehicles in the Donetsk region, where fierce fighting has been raging.

Multiple videos have circulated on social media appearing to show Russian tanks driving into minefields and exploding.

A renewed Russian offensive at Vuhledar began at the end of January involving the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, according to reports.

Almost the entire brigade of 5,000 was destroyed near Vuhledar, with troops killed, wounded, or taken prisoner, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, head of the united press center of the Tavriskiy District of Ukrainian defense forces, told Politico on February 12.

Part of the reason for Ukraine's military success in countering Russian forces around the coal-mining town has been their use of US-supplied Remote Anti-Armor Mine system (RAAM), according to reports.

The Remote Anti-Armor Mine system is a 155mm howitzer shell containing nine anti-tank mines. When the shell is fired over an open area, the tiny mines are scattered widely onto the ground.

This means that Ukrainian forces can lay the mines from a distance rather than by hand, as is typically the case with traditional land mines.

Since last year, the US has sent Ukraine at least 7,200 RAAM shells in its aid packages.

According to Forbes, Ukraine is using the US-supplied RAAMs as well as the Soviet TM-62, which is a traditional mine.

Russian forces have struggled to counter Ukraine's mines, particularly RAAM shells raining from above.

Ukrainian soldiers wait for Russian forces to clear a path through a minefield before firing new mines into the freshly cleared path, Forbes reported.

The outlet said the best way for Russian forces to stop RAAM would be to suppress the guns that fire the mine-shells.

In recent weeks there has been intense fighting in Vuhledar and its neighboring villages as Russia appears to be escalating its offensive in the Donetsk region.

Despite multiple assaults, Russian forces appear to be floundering and facing mounting losses as Ukraine continues to push back.

While the exact number of casualties of the offensive is not confirmed, Russia's tactical errors and battlefield losses have even sparked rare criticism from Russian military bloggers – an unusual move considering Russia has made criticizing the war illegal.