Russian troops have begun using a new method to clear mined areas in the special military operation zone, according to Izvestia. The system relies on heavy Vogan-15 cargo drones, which carry ZRP-2 Tropa line charges directly to mined positions.

Once detonated, the charges open passages through minefields, allowing Russian servicemen to move across terrain that had previously been too dangerous to cross. The approach is designed to speed up ground preparation ahead of offensive operations while reducing risks for combat engineers. The cleared corridors can also be used to deliver supplies to forward positions.

As the publication notes, Vogan-15 drones can carry payloads weighing up to 10 kilograms. Their role is to transport and accurately place ZRP-2 Tropa charges at designated points. The system makes it possible to create passages up to four meters wide and up to 15 meters long.

Military expert Boris Dzhereliyevsky said the sapper drones could help open a lane in a minefield almost instantly and make it possible to launch an unexpected attack immediately afterward.

The report says the heavy Vogan-15 copters were originally developed to supply units along the line of combat contact. Later, however, their range of tasks expanded.

They are now used not only for mine clearance when needed, but also for the remote placement of anti-personnel mines along presumed retreat routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the report, this tactic can complicate the movement of Ukrainian units, disrupt their supplies and rotations, and hinder communication between forward groups and rear forces.