Human Rights
Russian forces reportedly planting land mines in cities, farms and transport stations
Russia is planting these mines remotely through the use of artillery, helicopters and drones, endangering millions of Ukrainians, say officials.
By AFP and Kontur |
SIEM REAP, Cambodia -- Russia is carrying out "genocidal activities" by laying land mines on Ukraine's territory, an official from Kyiv's defense ministry told a land mine conference in Cambodia on November 26.
Russian forces are planting land mines "in cities, farming households, public transport stations, remotely by means of artillery, helicopters, multiple rocket launch systems and drones," said Oleksandr Riabtsev at the November 25–29 Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World.
These "genocidal activities" have affected areas home to six million Ukrainians, he told a land mine conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
In July, it was reported that more than 1,000 Ukrainian civilians have been injured -- including 297 killed -- by explosive devices that Russian occupying troops have scattered around Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
The casualties include many children.
Last year it was reported that about 30% of Ukrainian territory will need to be cleared of land mines, unexploded bombs, artillery shells and other deadly byproducts of war.
Kyiv will not fulfill a commitment to destroy a stockpile of about six million land mines left over from the Soviet Union because of Russia's invasion, another Ukrainian defense official told the conference.
The commitment made in connection with the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention's Oslo Action Plan is "currently not possible," Yevhenii Kivshyk said.
Arsenals and other sites where anti-personnel mines are stored "have been under constant air and missile strikes by the armed forces of the Russian Federation," he said.
"In addition, some of them are in the territories that are currently under occupation by the Russian armed forces," Kivshyk said.
Last week Washington announced that it would send antipersonnel land mines to Kyiv to help its forces battle Russian troops.