Drifting sea mine destroyed with machine gun in Odesa Region

Another enemy mine drifting at sea was destroyed near the shores of the Odesa Region.

This was reported by the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The mine was spotted during a combat patrol of the Defense Forces, the Ukrainian military said.

The dangerous item was timely eliminated by a naval unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A 14.5 mm large-caliber KPVT machine gun was likely used to destroy the sea mine.

The military noted that this is not the first such instance. Previously, drifting mines were detected and deactivated off the coasts of Turkey and Romania.

The Ukrainian Navy emphasized that by using sea mines, Russia threatens civilian shipping and human life above all.

The 14,5 mm KPVT heavy-machine gun was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949 to destroy light armored, unarmored, and aerial targets, as well as enemy manpower.

The machine gun is universal and can be installed on a wheel platform, tripode, anti-aircraft platforms, and combat vehicles.

Its 14,5×115 mm ammunition uses six types of rounds and can penetrate a 30 mm thick armored plate at a distance of 500 meters, 20 mm thick plate at a distance of 1000 m.

In Ukraine, KPVT machine guns are used primarily as the main weapon on BTR-60PB, BTR-70, BTR-80, and BRDM-2 combat vehicles.

Previously, the Ukrainian military shot down a new Russian Merlin-VR reconnaissance UAV. This drone was publicly demonstrated in September 2021, and has not yet been officially adopted.