Advanced Russian Anti-Tank Mine Appearing On Battlefields in Ukraine

Russia’s most advanced anti-tank mine, the PKTM-1R is a high-explosive, top attack mine. The previously unseen munition has begun to appear in Ukraine. The mine was publicly revealed by its manufacturer at the end of 2021. The system works by detecting a target using sound and vibrations.

The PKTM-1R’s accoustic sensors switch on when a vehicle gets closer than 100m. Comparing data against a target list, civilian and less important military vehicles should be ignored. When launched, the upper portion of the warhead launches a 2.8kg warhead targeting the vehicle’s vulnerable roof.