The UK Ministry of Defence has recently issued an intelligence assessment on the ongoing war in Ukraine, voicing concerns about the potential use of PFM-1 series ‘Butterfly Mines’ by the Russian military in Donetsk and Kramatorsk regions. This explosive weapon could have grave potential to cause widespread casualties, not only within military ranks but also among local civilians due to their specific characteristics.
Key Findings of the Intelligence Assessment
The report suggests that Russia might have positioned anti-personnel mines to discourage movement along its defensive lines in the Donbas regions – Donetsk and Luhansk. The most likely mine types deployed are PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines. These mines, also known as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots’, earn their names from their distinctive shape and colour.
Understanding the Butterfly Mine
A Butterfly mine is a highly sensitive anti-personnel landmine, which can be detonated with an applied force of just 5 kg. This sensitivity makes it extremely dangerous, posing a threat even to small children. The two versions of this mine, PFM-1 and PFM-1S, are slightly different. The latter type includes a self-destruction mechanism which activates in one to 40 hours, limiting its period of potential danger.
Deployment and Detection of Butterfly Mines
Butterfly mines can be dispersed from helicopters or launched through artillery and mortar shells. After being dropped, they glide to the ground without detonating immediately, exploding later upon contact. These mines pose a significant challenge for detection efforts, as they are constructed from plastic materials and thus can avoid metal detectors.
Technical Specifications of Butterfly Mines
These mines are made from molded polyethylene plastic and feature two wings, with one wing heavier than the other. The heavier wing contains the pressure activation for the main fuse, stored in the central body of the mine. The lighter wing helps stabilize the mine when it is air-dropped, which contributes to the mine’s ‘butterfly’ name due to its flight pattern.
Conventions on Anti-Personal Mines and their Compliance
Despite international conventions banning anti-personnel mines, neither Russia nor Ukraine are signatories. However, both countries have signed the 1996 Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons-the Landmines Protocol. This adherence suggests an awareness of the rights and responsibilities associated with the use of such weapons, adding further concern to the potential violation indicated by the intelligence report.