Russia's lethal scatter: Kherson plagued by banned mines
Roman Mroczko from Kherson's city authorities reported that the Russian Federation's army is using PFM-1 Lepestok anti-personnel mines in the city. This weapon is banned in many countries, but Poland, Russia and Ukraine.
The Russians have been scattering front-line areas with PFM-1 mines for many months. Until recently, this activity intensified in mid-July 2024 when soldiers noticed these small, palm-sized mines appearing more frequently. After a few months, the issue of using this equipment has resurfaced. This time, Roman Mroczko from Kherson's city authorities reports on it. He notes that the Russians are spreading more and more PFM-1 mines in the city.
Russia "floods" Kherson with PFM-1 mines
According to the Mroczko report cited by the Ukrainian portal Defence Express, the Russians are reportedly spreading Lepestok mines along the roads. The mine is small, thus posing a significant threat primarily because it is difficult to spot. The Russian Federation scatters them in places where the infantry of Ukraine's armed forces appears. It's also worth noting that the difficulty in identification is increased by the fact that PFM-1 is green or brown. As a result, it "blends" into the surroundings.
The aforementioned anti-personnel mines PFM-1 are banned in 111 countries. This prohibition is regulated by national law under the 2008 convention, which the authorities of the USA, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia, among others, did not sign.
PFM-1 mines: what kind of equipment are they?
Anti-personnel mines PFM-1, also known as "blue parrot" in NATO code and often called "butterfly mines," are small Soviet-made devices. Each PFM-1 mine is compact, with a height of around 5 cm, a width of about 3 cm, and a length of approximately 13 cm. The mass of the PFM-1 is about 85 grams, with approximately 37 grams of it being the explosive, which is a liquid material VS6-D or VS-60D.
The design of the PFM-1 mine relies on an MVDM/VGM-572 fuze, which operates on a pressure principle and triggers an explosion with a load of at least 5 kg. Another version of this mine, known as PFM-1S, is programmed for self-destruction after a specific time, usually after 40 hours.
Butterfly mines can be dispersed using various means, including helicopters, aeroplanes, and infantry. Drones are also a popular tool for scattering PFM-1. An important aspect is that PFM-1 and PFM-1S mines cannot be disarmed once activated. This means the only way to clear an area of these dangerous objects is to detonate them.
