In fields and forests, in hospital rooms and under the corpses of soldiers killed in war, in the entrances of apartment buildings and even in the trunks of cars: the mines laid by the Russian army in the populated areas of Ukraine are killing the lives of civilians threaten decades, experts fear.
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Buried in the ground or hidden in urban environments, mines are triggered when a target runs over or approaches them. Although they’re typically used to slow down the enemy in a combat zone, they can also be used for more sinister purposes, explains Éric Ouellet, a professor specializing in strategic military leadership and decision-making at Canadian Forces College.
“It’s not the most common use, but they can also be used as terror weapons if placed in areas with civilian infrastructure, preventing citizens from returning to their homes,” he says.
Although restricted by certain international treaties – to which Moscow does not adhere – the use of mines of all types as terror weapons in Ukraine is well documented. And to these mines are added those used by the Russian and Ukrainian armies in combat zones.
AFP
Mines and other explosive devices found during a clearance operation on April 21, 2022 in a field near the town of Brovary, northeast of Kyiv.
Result: More than 160,000 mines and unexploded ordnance have been defused since the end of March, a number that represents only the tip of the iceberg. Kyiv estimates that half of its territory has been mined since the Russian invasion began.
In July alone, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had already recorded 13 civilian deaths and 22 civilian injuries in connection with these explosives.
A problem for decades to come
Mines, Ukraine has not yet found any.
The NGO Handicap International estimates that it will take at least 50 years to mine the country, recalling that mines laid in Vietnam during the war nearly half a century ago continue to kill and maim several hundred people in Cambodia and Laos.
It is also impossible to know how many mines and explosives that are still active are currently on Ukrainian soil, stresses Éric Ouellet.
“In theory, a mine-using army should clearly mark where each mine is to carry out demining after the end of the conflict. But it is rarely done, and even less so when a conflict is raging,” the soldier continues.
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Ordinary citizens to the rescue
To help Ukraine eliminate anti-personnel landmines, the United States announced on August 9 an amount of $89 million to be used primarily for training local personnel.
Aid Ukraine desperately needs, says Olesia Fesenko, a 24-year-old master’s student from eastern Ukraine who works daily with the humanitarian organization HALO Trust to clear mines.
“Each day of war poses problems for us in the long term, since we theoretically assume that one year of war corresponds to ten years of demining afterwards. Therefore, as the need continues to grow, we have no idea how long exactly the problem will affect the country,” she says.
Courtesy: HALO Trust
Olesia Fesenko, 24, helps clear mines in Ukraine.
Given the scale of the work, thousands of ordinary women and men like her have decided to get involved in demining in Ukraine. And despite all the security measures taken by humanitarian organizations, the task remains extremely risky, stresses Éric Ouellet.
“Mines are designed not to be easily detected and cause significant injury. For example, some are equipped with a spring that makes them jump 30-40 cm before exploding to cut off the foot. Others are connected by an invisible thread that makes them explode when hung,” he illustrates.
However, Olesia Fesenko assures that she is not afraid, as demining is a “duty to her country”.
“In addition to those in the city, many of the mines are in farmland and forests where people forage. Therefore, it is important to demin these places and teach people how to behave to avoid the worst. I want to make sure that one day these places will be safe again, because they are an important source of income for many Ukrainians. I do it for us, but also for our children and their children,” she concludes.