Ukrainian Defenders defuse mine corridor left by occupiers in Kharkiv Oblast

National Guardsmen and military counterintelligence have discovered a mine corridor containing MON-90, MON-50, fougasses [improvised mortars constructed by making a hollow in the ground or rock and filling it with explosives and projectiles - ed.] and OZM-72 mines in Kharkiv Oblast.

Source: Eastern Operational-Territorial Command of the National Guard of Ukraine

Quote: "During the conduct of filtration measures in the settlements of Shopino, Tokarivka and Hoptivka, the location of MON-90, MON-50, fougasses and OZM-72 mines was determined by means of a reconnaissance survey of the local population by the National Guard, together with military counterintelligence."

Details: The defenders stated that if the mine corridor had been triggered, the civilian population would have come under fire, so the servicemen decided to dispose of the mines themselves.

Quote from national guardsman Vadym: "After moving around the settlement, we found a MON-90 mine planted by the enemy; it was placed on a remote detonator.

The mines formed a chain, and the occupiers made a corridor for our forces to pass through, otherwise if we had entered the settlement, the mines would have blown up personnel and equipment. We also found a fougasse and defused it for further use for our purposes."

Details: MON-90 is a Soviet directional type of anti-personnel mine designed to hit enemy personnel with fragments at a distance of up to 100 metres.

In addition to MON-90 and MON-50, the military found five OZM-72; these are bounding mines, also called "frog mines", that launch the warhead up to a metre into the air and then detonate.

Also, while passing through the mine corridor, the National Guardsmen found a fougasse shell filled with two kilograms of TNT and an improvised explosive device with nails and cartridges.

The National Guardsmen take defused mines with them so they can place them on the border and in the border area in front of Ukrainian positions to prevent a possible Russian breakthrough or attack.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!