Infantry Weapons

MON-90

Also known as
  • MON 90
  • MON90

The MON-90 is a Soviet-designed directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine and the 90 m member of the MON family between the smaller MON-50 and larger MON-100. Technical references describe a plastic-bodied, tree-spike-mounted mine with about 2,000 steel fragments, two M-10 threaded fuze wells, and command or tripwire initiation depending on setup. Direct monitoring sources place MON-90 mines in Russian use in Ukraine after the 2022 invasion and in Russian-linked Tripoli mine contamination during the Second Libyan Civil War.

MON-90, Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine, Infantry Weapons
Image source: Tyumen Higher Military Command School of Engineering 07

Role in Conflicts

2014 Second Libyan Civil War
Role in conflict
Tripoli antipersonnel mine contamination

Landmine Monitor lists MON-90 antipersonnel mines as Russian-made weapons used in and around Tripoli in 2019-2020 by Russian mercenaries fighting on the Libyan National Army side.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine
Service note
Cold War design documented in Ukraine after 2022
Designer
Soviet defense industry
Designed
Cold War period
Produced
Cold War era and later production

Specifications

Mine type
Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine
Weight
12.1 kg
Explosive fill
6.2 kg RDX/PVV-5A
Fragments
About 2,000 chopped or cylindrical steel fragments
Effective fragmentation range
About 90 m in a directional arc
Coverage sector
Technical references describe a 40/60-degree forward coverage area
Dimensions
Approximately 345 mm long, 153 mm wide, and 202 mm high
Mounting
Tree spike mounting; no MON-50-style scissor legs
Initiation
Command initiation or tripwire/booby-trap switches depending on fuze setup
Design Notes

GICHD treats the MON-90 as a larger MON-50 family member. Technical references emphasize the mine's 90 m range class, two fuze wells, and mounting kit.

FeatureMON-90 detail
RangeAbout 90 m in a directional arc
CoverageForward 40/60-degree area of coverage in Bulletpicker's summary
MountingTree spike only; no scissor legs
Storage caseCase size comparable to an 82 mm mortar case and usable as a deployment base
Fuze wellsTwo M-10 threaded wells
FragmentsAbout 2,000 chopped or cylindrical steel fragments
Variants

The MON model number broadly marks intended fragment range. MON-90 is the 90 m class member in the same directional mine family as MON-50, MON-100, and MON-200.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
MON-50, Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine, Infantry WeaponsMON-5050 m class directional mine

Smaller MON family mine with folding support legs and 50 m forward fragmentation coverage.

Sources: Russian Landmine, APERS, MON-90, Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine, Third Edition

MON-100, Directional anti-personnel fragmentation mine, Infantry WeaponsMON-100100 m class directional mine

Larger circular MON family mine listed alongside MON-90 in Ukraine and Libya conflict-use reporting.

Sources: Landmine Use in Ukraine, Libya Mine Ban Policy

MON-200200 m class directional mine

The largest commonly listed MON family model in current monitoring tables for Ukraine and Libya.

Sources: Ukraine Mine Ban Policy, Libya Mine Ban Policy

Timeline

MON-90 Key Events

  1. Irpin disposal footage

    A State Emergency Service of Ukraine video documents disposal of a MON-90 found in Irpin after Russian occupation.

    Sources: Disposal of MON-90 Anti-Personnel Mine

  2. Human Rights Watch documents use

    Human Rights Watch lists MON-90 among antipersonnel mines used by Russian forces in Ukraine after the February 2022 invasion.

    Sources: Landmine Use in Ukraine

  3. Libya Monitor profile lists MON-90

    Landmine Monitor's Libya profile lists MON-90 mines among Russian-made antipersonnel mines used in Tripoli in 2019-2020 by Russian mercenaries.

    Sources: Libya Mine Ban Policy

Documented Conflict Use

The strongest direct conflict-use evidence for MON-90 is concentrated in Ukraine and Libya. The table separates disposal footage from monitoring tables so the sourcing limits are visible.

DateConflictDocumented context
10 Apr 20222014 Russia-Ukraine WarState Emergency Service of Ukraine video shows disposal of a MON-90 found in Irpin after Russian occupation.
13 Jun 20232014 Russia-Ukraine WarHuman Rights Watch lists MON-90 among antipersonnel mines used by Russian forces in Ukraine after the February 2022 invasion.
27 Nov 20252014 Second Libyan Civil WarLandmine Monitor's Libya profile lists MON-90 mines among Russian-made antipersonnel mines used in Tripoli in 2019-2020 by Russian mercenaries.
Media

MON-90 Videos

Related Weapon Systems
MON-100, Directional anti-personnel fragmentation mine, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsMON-100Directional anti-personnel fragmentation mineThe MON-100 is a Soviet/Russian directional anti-personnel fragmentation mine in the larger end of the MON family. Technical references describe a circular metal-bodied, stake- or fixture-mounted mine with a 2 kg TNT charge, roughly 400 steel fragments, and command or tripwire-capable initiation. Monitoring groups identify MON-100 use by Russian forces in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War and by Russian mercenaries around Tripoli during the 2014 Second Libyan Civil War.
MON-series anti-personnel mine, Directional fragmentation anti-personnel mine family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsMON-series anti-personnel mineDirectional fragmentation anti-personnel mine familyThe MON series is a Soviet/Russian family of directional fragmentation anti-personnel mines, including MON-50, MON-90, MON-100, and MON-200 patterns that project preformed fragments across a defined sector. Monitoring groups identify the family in Russian mine warfare in Ukraine and in Russian-linked Tripoli minefields in Libya, while the Nagorno-Karabakh record is narrower and rests on postwar MON-50 clearance reporting.
MON-50, Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsMON-50Directional fragmentation antipersonnel mineThe MON-50 is a Soviet directional fragmentation antipersonnel mine broadly comparable in role to the M18 Claymore, with a plastic body, folding legs, and a forward fragmentation pattern. It can be command-detonated or configured with tripwire and other fuzing, making it a compact infantry obstacle and ambush munition. Direct monitoring sources document MON-50 use by Russian or Russian-aligned forces in eastern Ukraine, the full-scale Russia-Ukraine War, and the 2019-2020 Tripoli fighting in Libya.
POMZ-2, Stake-mounted antipersonnel fragmentation mine, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsPOMZ-2Stake-mounted antipersonnel fragmentation mineThe POMZ-2 is a Soviet stake-mounted antipersonnel fragmentation mine built around a serrated cast-iron body, TNT charge, and pull-fuze tripwire. Its simple above-ground layout made the mine a persistent legacy hazard: cataloged use now spans Soviet mine warfare in Afghanistan, Vietnamese forces in the 1955 Vietnam War, Nagorno-Karabakh stockpiles and defensive minefields, and a limited 2011 Syrian Civil War indication tied to Syrian government forces.

Sources

MON-90 Russian Anti-Personnel MinePublisher: U.S. Army ODIN Worldwide Equipment Guide | Note: Supports the system identification as a Soviet/Russian Claymore-shaped directional anti-personnel mine. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Russian Landmine, APERS, MON-90Publisher: Bulletpicker | Note: Supports MON-90 family context, setup, weight, explosive fill, fragment load, 90 m range, forward coverage sector, dimensions, and initiation options. | Accessed: 2026-06-30MON-90 LandminePublisher: CAT-UXO | Note: Supports dimensions, explosive weight, fragmentation role, and the note that the mine has also been made in Bulgaria. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Landmine Use in UkrainePublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War context by listing MON-90 among antipersonnel landmines used in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Ukraine Mine Ban PolicyPublisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War context by listing MON-90 among MON-series antipersonnel mines deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces after February 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Russian Federation Mine Ban PolicyPublisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War context by listing MON-90 among MON-series antipersonnel mines used by Russian forces in Ukraine after February 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine, Third EditionPublisher: Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining | Note: Supports MON-90 technical details and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context, including reports of MON-90 mines with anti-handling arrangements in Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Libya: Landmines, Other War Hazards, Killing CiviliansPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2014 Second Libyan Civil War context by reporting Hiftar-aligned fighters and Russian foreign fighters emplaced antipersonnel mines and booby traps around Tripoli during the 2019-2020 campaign. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Libya Mine Ban PolicyPublisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor | Note: Directly supports 2014 Second Libyan Civil War context by listing MON-90 antipersonnel mines among Russian-made mines used in Tripoli in 2019-2020 by Russian mercenaries. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Tyumen Higher Military Command School of Engineering 07Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a MON-90 installation photo credited to Mil.ru and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Disposal of MON-90 Anti-Personnel MinePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context by documenting disposal of a MON-90 found in Irpin after Russian occupation. | Accessed: 2026-06-30