The battle for control of Vuhledar, Ukraine has been raging for months as Russian troops attempt to capture the strategic town located near the Russian border. Russian forces have been met with stiff resistance from the Ukrainian military, which has resorted to using a variety of tactics in order to keep the Russians at bay. One of the most effective tactics has been the use of mines and anti-tank guided missiles at a notorious intersection near Vuhledar.
Videos have surfaced on social media showing Russian armor being destroyed by mines and anti-tank missiles at the intersection. The most recent video claims to show a Russian BMP-2IFV being destroyed at the crossroads after running over a mine and being hit by an anti-tank-guided missile.
Ukraine has had some success with their mine-laying tactics, and reports suggest that Russia has lost at least 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers in a three-week battle in Vuhledar.
Ukraine has used both traditional Soviet mines, as well as US-supplied remote anti-armor mines, in their defense of the town. Remote anti-armor mines involve firing a shell over an open area that scatters tiny mines widely. This has allowed Ukraine to lay more mines in a shorter period of time.
The fighting at Vuhledar has been fierce, and the use of mines and anti-tank missiles has proven to be an effective way for Ukraine to slow the advances of Russian forces. It remains to be seen if this tactic will be enough to keep the town from falling into Russian hands.
