The Financial Times has reported that Ukrainian troops are being hindered in their attempts to breach Russian defensive lines due to the presence of minefields. These minefields, which are destroying NATO-supplied armor, injuring soldiers, and lowering morale, have become the most challenging obstacles for Ukrainian forces. Kiev’s counteroffensive, which was launched last month, has faced strong resistance from Russian troops. Despite relying on Western-made tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, the Ukrainian forces have failed to make significant territorial gains. As a result, Kiev has adjusted its strategy and is now focusing on slowly eroding Russian defenses from a distance, while keeping valuable vehicles behind.
The article highlights that the Russian minefields pose a daunting challenge for Ukrainian troops. One Ukrainian unit commander stated, “We can push with 10 brigades but it won’t work because the mines are everywhere, every half a meter there are mines.” Russian military engineers have specifically designed these minefields to negate Ukraine’s minesweeping equipment. Ukrainian leaders believe that using more man-portable systems would be effective now that soldiers have to move on foot rather than under the protection of armor.
The dominant type of trauma experienced by Ukrainian soldiers at a frontline field hospital is mine injuries, not shrapnel wounds from artillery strikes. The article describes a doctor who performs dozens of surgeries daily, most of which are amputations. Ukraine has become one of the most-mined places in the world, with approximately 30% of its claimed territory contaminated by explosive ordnance, according to the UN. Last year, Ukrainian forces heavily mined the Kiev, Kharkov, Chernigov, and Sumy regions in anticipation of Russian advances.
The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics also face the threat of mines from 2014 when the new government in Kiev deployed its military in an attempt to crush a rebellion. The use of remotely deployed anti-personnel “petal mines” by Kiev has continuously endangered civilians in these areas.
The need for future demining efforts in Ukraine is expected to increase with the US decision to provide cluster artillery rounds. These rounds scatter smaller bomblets over a large area, functioning similar to mines as some might fail to trigger and can potentially injure people years later. The US has stated that Ukraine will use these weapons responsibly to minimize harm to civilians.
The presence of minefields poses a significant challenge for Ukrainian troops and has hindered their progress in breaching Russian defensive lines. The injuries resulting from these mines have become the dominant type of trauma for Ukrainian soldiers, leading to amputations and a significant strain on medical resources. With a large portion of Ukrainian territory affected by explosive ordnance, the issue of demining will need to be addressed in the future. The introduction of cluster artillery rounds by the US further adds to the potential dangers and long-term consequences in conflict-affected areas.
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