Ukrainian military faces a shortage of mines and uses improvised devices

The Ukrainian military is experiencing a shortage of factory-made mines and is increasingly using homemade improvised explosive devices.

The design of homemade mines is a 3D printed plastic case equipped with a charge and an initiation mechanism.

Russian military personnel noted an increase in the use of Soviet-made OZM-72 mines by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, equipped with Doppler-effect radar fuses.

DONETSK, September 29 - RIA Novosti. The Ukrainian military is experiencing a shortage of factory-made mines and is increasingly using homemade explosive devices, a master sapper of the 83rd separate regiment of unmanned systems of the Center group with the call sign Skif told RIA Novosti.

According to the serviceman, at the moment the Armed Forces of Ukraine are experiencing a shortage of factory-made mining equipment and mainly use home-made explosive devices made at home.

“They have a big shortage of standard ammunition, but their homemade ones, due to the active assistance they receive from the outside, look quite functional. They haven’t fired any specific new items yet. Pressure mines for various purposes are now very common: high-explosive, anti-personnel, mechanical,” Skif said.

According to him, the design of such a mine is a 3D-printed plastic case, equipped with a charge and an initiation mechanism, camouflaged to match the terrain in the area of ​​intended use.

“They also have very popular homemade mines, so to speak, an analogue of the PTM-3. This is a cumulative anti-bottom anti-track mine with a non-contact magnetic target sensor,” Skif added.

The agency’s interlocutor also said that recently Russian military personnel have noted an increase in the enemy’s use of Soviet-made OZM-72 mines equipped with Doppler-effect radar fuses.