Unlike many other anti-tank mines, the PTKM-1R targets the upper, least protected part of a combat vehicle—the roof—hence its nickname the anti-roof mine. In 2018, the facility named after GI Petrovsky at Nizhny Novgorod OJSC publicly acknowledged this development, and serial production of these airborne-attack devices for the Russian Armed Forces began in 2021.
As with standard anti-tank mines, the PTKM-1R remains concealed on a likely route for enemy armor. Its mission, however, is not to linger under a tank’s tracks and detonate at ground level. Instead, it is designed to detect and identify heavy combat vehicles from a distance of about 250 meters, then close in to strike from roughly 50 meters away. A combat element weighing 2.8 kilograms is launched from a transport and firing container along a ballistic path, rising into the air to strike the target from above. The aim is to leave little opportunity for maneuver or evasion. Ukrainian tanks reportedly did not anticipate a threat descending from above, according to Sergey Belousov, a member of a military experts’ college cited by socialbites.ca.
The operator described the PTKM-1R as possessing a degree of “intelligence.” It is said to listen and recognize its target by carefully selecting its intended victim; once specific parameters are set, the mine will not react to a passing vehicle but will wait for a tank or infantry fighting vehicle.
This capability is achieved through acoustic and seismic sensors integrated with the launch container.
After scanning the potential target, the system autonomously determines whether it should be engaged. The warhead itself carries infrared and radar sensors. It ascends several tens of meters, then uses radar and thermal imaging to identify hot exhaust sources, guiding a cumulative projectile onto the vehicle’s roof before striking.
Belousov added these points in his remarks.
Igor Korotchenko, editor of National Defense magazine, commented to Gazeta.ru that even a small number of PTKM-1R units could obstruct key transport corridors and areas critical to moving enemy equipment.
Among the strengths attributed to the new mine is its ability to control a wide area. When positioned with multiple units, it can block large stretches along armored vehicle routes. Hidden segments such as rural roads and forested paths become more vulnerable to the device, increasing the chance of a successful engagement. The mine reportedly incorporates elements of smart electronics and uses a unified target-detection and recognition system, enabling precise selection of intended targets. This combination is described as creating a stealthy tank-destroyer effect, unlike fixed mines that rely on pressure fuzes for triggering.
Military analyst Vladislav Shurygin concurs with the assessment regarding the PTKM-1R’s capabilities.
Shurygin noted that a distinguishing feature of the PTKM-1R is its ability to be deployed slightly off the main armored column path, in areas where enemy forces might not anticipate an attack. With proper installation and camouflage, it is suggested that heavy equipment could suffer substantial damage. The Ukrainian army, according to the analyst, may have been unaware of such Russian mines capable of striking from tens of meters away, he stated.
An American counterpart similar in concept is the M93 Hornet, which has been produced since 1990. It is claimed to detect targets within about 100 meters, employing seismic and acoustic sensing to identify units near the installation site. Weighing roughly 450 grams, it is said to strike armored vehicles head-on along a steep trajectory. The assertion is that the Russian jump mine is twice as effective at range and significantly more powerful, as noted by Sergey Belousov.