Bombs Away! HEDP Grenades Take Out Russian MT-LB: In a newly shared video to social media, a pair of grenades can be seen dropped from a small commercial drone onto a Russian MT-LB armored vehicle near the village of Opytne in the Bakhmut district of the Donetsk Oblast.
According to the post from Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons), units of the Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade were operating a commercial “off-the-shelf” drone and spotted the MT-LB.
Two 40x53mm HEDP grenades were then dropped next to the vehicle, which had taken cover next to a bombed-out house. Though the first of the grenades missed its mark, the second one struck the rear section of the vehicle causing it to catch fire. The MT-LB, which was also equipped with a ZU-23-2 autocannon, can be seen engulfed in flames as the video clip ends.
The HEDP (high-explosive, dual-purpose) grenade could be considered an ideal air-dropped ordnance for the small drones being employed by Ukraine. It has an impact-type round that can penetrate two inches of steel armor at 0-degree obliquity and inflicts personnel casualties in the target area. The round is packed in an M548 ammunition container (48 rounds, linked, in each container). Though it was designed for use with grenade launchers, the Ukrainians have modified the round to be dropped from the drones.
The pair of lost-cost HEDP grenades appeared to have successfully destroyed/disabled one of Russia’s MT-LB multi-purpose, fully amphibious, tracked armored fighting vehicles. The Kremlin maintains a force of some 3,300 MT-LBs in active service, and a number have been equipped with the ZU-23-2 – a 23x152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon.
The weapon was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 km, while it can also be employed against armored vehicles at a range of two kilometers. The ZU-23-2 can also be employed as a static defense weapon at strategic locations.
Heavy Fighting Continues
The village of Opytne has reportedly changed hands several times but is now believed to be under the control of pro-Russian separatists of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Russian forces.
The Ukrainian 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade – named for Marko Bezruchko, the commander and general of the Ukrainian National Republic – was first formed just over a year ago on April 10, 2022. While also one of the Ukrainian Army’s newest brigades, it has been holding one of the most dangerous sectors on the entire front in the ongoing war.
It has also been forced to rely on older equipment, including Cold War-era Soviet vehicles along with “hand-me-down” armored vehicles from the Czech Republic.
#Ukraine: In Opytne, #Donetsk Oblast, the Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade destroyed a Russian MT-LB armoured vehicle with ZU-23-2 autocannon using 40x53mm HEDP grenades adapted to be dropped from a commercial drone. pic.twitter.com/2Vi8Biwq91
— ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 12, 2023
Though officially a mechanized infantry unit, in a short time, it appears that some troops of the 110th have become quite well-versed in drone warfare.
The unit is also making the most of social media to share its exploits. The recent drone video is the latest that highlights how this unit may be young, but it has quickly proven it is ready to stand strong against the invader.
Author Experience and Expertise:
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
