Known in military jargon as the UR-77 Meteorite, these are wartime vehicles designed to open safe corridors in minefields and allow armored forces to advance during an offensive.
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In the Kherson region, which is annexed by Russia along with the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporizhia, there are increasing signs of a resumption of the Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian troops. The last remaining civilians, especially those living near the Dnipro River, have been ordered to evacuate to the east bank of the river as the bombardment intensifies. On the southern front, where the Russian armed forces have been intensively using mines, the Ukrainian armored units are deployed Open safe corridors in minefields. The operations, documented by some videos posted on Twitter, involve the so-called “Explosive Vipers”, technically known as UR-77 Meteorite, vehicles capable of demining areas and detonating placed bombs.
The “explosive vipers” that destroy the bombs in the minefields
UR-77 Meteorite, literally meteorites, are mine clearance systems designed for use in areas with landmines. Developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s, their main purpose is to create quickly safe ways inside the minefields, thereby maintaining the momentum of the armored troops during an offensive.
The UR-77 are based on the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled crawler chassis, which in turn was developed from the MT-LB multi-purpose crawler carrier. This type of system has a roof-mounted launch vehicle for two line charges, called also “explosive vipers”, or rockets that fire explosive tubes along minefields. Its trigger detonates mines hidden in the ground, clearing the way. During the war in Syria, the UR-77 was reportedly used in urban areas.
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However, this demining system, explains the website Weaponsystem.net, works close to the first line it is not intended for combat. Its main use is to clear corridors about 6 meters wide and up to 90 meters long with each of its two line charges. The crew, protected from the dangers of explosions and shrapnel by steel armor, operates the system throwing a “viper” with its long, explosive tail which, when detonated, triggers the commands hidden in the ground and thus clears the way. A second half with a large steel plow removes residue for a thorough clean.
The UR-77’s crawler chassis provides good mobility on all terrains, allowing these vehicles to stand in step with the armed troops. The 300 hp V8 diesel engine allows a maximum road speed of 60 km/h and 4 km/h on calm water.