Photo captures Ukrainian troops using grunt robots to plant deadly anti-personnel mines

• A new photo shows Ukraine using an unmanned ground vehicle to plant a deadly anti-personnel mine.
• The photo, posted by OSINTtechnical, shows a MON-200 directional mine.

A new photo captures a Ukrainian soldier operating an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to transport and plant a deadly anti-personnel mine on the battlefield.

The picture, posted by the OSINTtechnical X account run by an analyst at the Center for Naval Analyses, shows a Ukrainian service member driving the UGV, which is carrying a heavyweight MON-200 mine.

The MON-200 is a thick, Soviet-made anti-personnel mine with a smooth concave front — as seen in the picture — that faces the target. It's a directional explosive, meaning the explosive force and the destructive fragments are propelled in a single direction when triggered. It can be attached to an object or mounted somewhere, including on the ground.

The mine contains 12kg of explosives, according to Collective Awareness To UXO (unexploded ordnance). The site collects information from across the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) community.

When activated by a tripwire or on-command, the mine will forcefully expel around 900 steel rod fragments. These anti-personnel mines are lethal out to a range of about 200 meters.

The UGV pictured drives the mine to a location and drops it off. A video, also posted by OSINTtechnical, shows a minelaying vehicle remotely deploying TM-62 anti-tank mines.

Landmines like the MON-200 and others are playing a prominent role in the war. Not only are Ukrainians creating minefields, but Russian troops have fortified their defenses with thousands of miles of explosives, trip-wires, and booby traps that are severely hindering Ukraine's counteroffensive.