Ukrainian Troops Use Jackhammers to Crack Open WWII-Era US Naval Mines and Recover Explosives for Drones
Dramatic footage circulating online shows Ukrainian soldiers using heavy cutting and demolition tools to break open an American naval mine dating back to World War II, exposing the explosive material inside for potential reuse in drone weapons.
The weapon has been identified by defense researchers as a US Mk 25 naval mine, originally designed to attack enemy shipping routes and harbor entrances. The footage reportedly shows troops dismantling the massive weapon and recovering its explosive filling.
The Mk 25 carried approximately 1,200 pounds of explosive material, depending on its configuration, making it a substantial source of explosives for Ukraine’s battlefield requirements.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on recovering explosives from old artillery shells and unexploded Russian munitions as it seeks additional materials for drone warheads.
The footage has also drawn attention to the weapon’s unusual history. A 1996 US government audit found 5,382 Mk 25 mines recorded in Army storage records but missing from the Navy’s inventory database. Around 40 percent had an unknown condition, with some dating back to 1954.
However, it remains unclear how the mines reached Ukraine, whether they were officially transferred by the United States, or whether the weapon shown in the footage came from the stockpile identified in the audit.
The scene highlights Ukraine’s efforts to recover and repurpose aging military explosives as the war continues to place heavy demands on its weapons supply.
