UK MoD: Use of US RAAMs helps slow down Russian assaults

Over the last week, Russian attempts to assault Donetsk Region town of Vuhledar have almost certainly slowed. This follows repeated failed attacks over the previous three months.

One factor in Russia’s heavy losses in this sector has been Ukraine’s successful adoption of Remote Anti-Armour Mine systems (RAAM), the UK Ministry of Defence said on Twitter.

“RAAM is a specialist artillery shell which scatters anti-armour mines up to 17km away from the firing unit,” the ministry explained.

According to the British, in some instances, Ukraine has launched the mines over and behind advancing Russian units, causing disarray when Russian vehicles attempt to withdraw.

Russia’s only notable recent tactical success has been in the Bakhmut sector, which is dominated by Wagner Group mercenary forces, currently engaged in a public feud with the Russian Ministry of Defence.

There is a realistic possibility that Russia’s MoD has been insistent in its drive for success in Vuhledar, partially because it wants its own success to compete with Wagner’s achievements.

Wagner mercenaries take part in the storming of Bakhmut. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the typical tactic of Wagnerites is that they do not retreat from the battlefield even if they are wounded, as they are immediately shot by their colleagues.

The conflict between Prigozhin and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has been known for a long time. They are competing, and Shoigu, according to intelligence, is intensifying the conflict with the Wagner PMC. He deliberately does not mention their participation in hostilities.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces received RAAM anti-tank mine systems from the United States, Militarny wrote. These systems are capable of creating minefields.