Ukraine's drone warfare: Transforming old mines into airborne threats

Drones, collectively referred to as "Baba Yaga" and capable of carrying up to 20 kilograms of payload, have become an indispensable element on the Ukrainian battlefield. In the form of bombs, the Ukrainians no longer use only mortar shells, as they also employ thermobaric grenades, incendiary devices, guided missiles, and recently even drones equipped with firearms.

In the photo below, you can see modified TM-62 anti-tank mines with an added tail section and stabilisers to ensure stable flight. This is a very dangerous bomb containing 7 kilograms of TNT, capable of destroying a BMP-1/2 infantry fighting vehicle or a BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier with no difficulty.

The bombing raids are particularly effective at night, when a variant of the "Baba Yaga" drone, known as the "Vampire", flying at several hundred metres, is not visible. Meanwhile, equipped with a thermal imaging camera, it can see everything happening on the ground.

TM-62 mines are a very simple design from the Soviet era, containing 7 kilograms of TNT inside a steel casing with a diameter of 32 centimetres and a height of 9 centimetres, detonated by an MWCz-62 pressure fuse. This requires pressure from 200 kilograms to 500 kilograms, depending on the year of production.

These mines were produced on a mass scale, and both Ukrainians and Russians have positioned millions along the front line. They are classic mines intended for soldiers to place. However, in the modern battlefield, where the "fog of war" essentially does not exist (with drones surveilling the area 24/7), the only method turned out to be remote-controlled rovers.

To use them as bombs, it was necessary to modify the fuse to an impact fuse, which requires less force for activation. Additionally, to ensure decent accuracy, it was necessary to add a section with stabilisers. As a result, soldiers found a way to effectively use outdated mines.