The Obstacles Delaying Kyiv’s Counter-Offensive: Deadly Minefields in the Ukraine Conflict

A Ukrainian soldier struggles through tall grass, dragging one leg behind him. Moments later, an explosion and smoke indicate another land mine has been triggered just a few meters away. Another injured soldier manages to reach the relative safety of an armored vehicle, his arms flailing as he moves, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Last week, a Ukrainian army drone captured these live scenes in the frontlines near the city of Bakhmut in Donbas. From above, the minefield appeared as a scattered pattern of dark circles on the cratered ground.

Artyom, a 36-year-old soldier from Ukraine’s 108th Territorial Defense Brigade, expressed his fear of mines, stating that they terrify him more than anything else. He recounted an incident where two of his colleagues stepped on newly scattered anti-personnel mines, losing their legs. Artyom, a trained sapper, explained that Russian forces use rockets to plant mines in previously cleared areas liberated by Ukrainian troops.

The anticipated counterattack by Ukraine has faced delays, and soldiers stationed along different sections of the frontlines attribute part of the delay to Russian minefields. The commander of a sapper squad known as Dill confirmed that mines significantly slow down troop movements. He recently completed a de-mining mission near the village of Predtechyne and displayed deactivated Russian mines while ensuring he remained hidden from Russian drones.

Artyom, a realist about Ukraine’s counter-offensive, believed that many people in the media and society were too impatient, expecting rapid progress. He cautioned against the worst-case scenario of slow progress. As fighter jets flew overhead and artillery pounded the frontlines, one officer suggested that the patient approach of the Ukrainian forces would soon yield significant results, as long-range strikes hindered Russia’s ability to rearm and low morale among Russian troops created opportunities for breakthroughs.

Regarding the extensive minefields ahead of Ukraine’s counter-attack, Dill, the sapper squad commander, expressed quiet confidence. He stated that they were learning to improvise and find safe paths through the minefields but acknowledged the fierce nature of the enemy they were fighting.

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