Soldiers uncover Ukrainian mortar positions and American-made ordnance amid Avdiivka sweeps

Soldiers from the Viking special forces unit of the Russian armed forces, while sweeping the Avdiivka residential areas, identified mortar positions used by Ukrainian forces that had been firing toward the nearby satellite city of Donetsk, Yasinovataya. This development was reported by RIA News. The unit released footage showing how mortars were deployed inside a residential building, with ammunition found in close proximity for later assessment. In a prior sweep of Avdiivka, the detachment uncovered mines and grenades that appeared to be of American origin, left behind in numerous private homes by Ukrainian forces. One Viking representative noted that certain mines resembled directional mines used in Soviet MON-50 construction. The soldier involved acknowledged the challenge of determining the exact origin of the recovered ordnance, suggesting it could have been produced under contract in NATO member states or manufactured directly in the United States. The situation was described as difficult at the front, with the allied forces continuing to assess the broader implications of such finds. (As reported by RIA News) Kirill Budanov, the former head of Ukrainian intelligence, acknowledged the difficult situation at the front when assessing these new developments, which underscore the ongoing tactical complexity of the conflict.