Apart from attacks by kamikaze drones, artillery and anti-tank weapons, a major threat to combat vehicles in conflict areas comes from landmines scattered at several unexpected points. And speaking of landmines, Russia was considered successful in deploying a mine system during the conflict with Ukraine.
To deploy, aka deploy mines quickly and effectively, is a challenge in itself for Russian combat engineers. The reason is that the placement of the mines was clearly rushed for time in order to maintain secrecy from the opponent.
For this reason, Russian combat troops on the front line have utilized the Zemledeliye – truck-mounted mine-laying system – a truck-based land mine launching/laying system.
Quoted from the website of the Russian defense company, Rostec – rostec.ru (10/13/2023), it is stated that Rostec has delivered a number of the newest Zemledeliye mine spreading special vehicles (ransus) to Russian troops ahead of schedule.
“Rostec has delivered a number of Zemledeliye remote minelaying engineering vehicles ahead of schedule. The new system is capable of deploying mines over an area the size of several football fields in just a few minutes after the ammunition is programmed. "The munition can destroy or disable itself at the target location," Rostec's press office said in a statement.
The Zemledeliye remote minelaying engineering vehicle can quickly lay programmed minefields in difficult-to-access terrain. The explosive can be detonated or deactivated at a specified time, which ensures safe and rapid mine clearance after the end of combat operations.
Rostec said Zemledeliye was able to increase the combat capability of troops to achieve the goal of laying mines while complying with all international agreements regarding the prohibition or limitation of the use of mines, traps and other devices.
Zemledeliye has the principle of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), but uses munitions with solid propellant engines filled with various types of mines to create a minefield.
In the mine-laying process, the vehicle's digital terrain map marks the coordinates of the area where the mine will be planted, which is then sent to a higher level of command and control.
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| Zemledeliye Mine Laying System |
The Zemledeliye consisted of a launcher, an ammunition train consisting of 50 122 mm caliber rounds loaded with high-explosive anti-personnel or anti-tank mines, and supported by an ammunition transport vehicle with a rear loading crane.
Both vehicles are mounted on the Kamaz-6560 8×8 truck platform and are equipped with a driver's cab with armor protection. The mine-dispersing rockets are housed in containers loaded into special packages, each containing 25 rounds of ammunition.
Each Zemledeliye vehicle carries two such packages. One launch vehicle unit is equipped with a communications system, fire control system, meteorological sensors and a defense circuit consisting of six smoke grenade launchers, with three of them on each side of the vehicle.
The Russian Ministry of Defense and the Tula-based Splav defense company signed a contract for the delivery of the Zemledeliye remote minelaying engineering vehicle to Russian forces in December 2013. Splav is the largest company in Russia involved in the development and production of various rocket launch systems.
Russia introduced the Zemledeliye remote minelaying engineering vehicle to the wider public at a military parade on Moscow's Red Square on the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. This special vehicle was put into service by Russian combat engineers in 2020.