The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned Ukraine on Tuesday about the “apparent use” of anti-personnel mines by its forces during the battle to liberate Izium from Russian occupation.
“Ukraine must investigate the alleged use by the military of thousands of anti-personnel mines placed by rockets in and around the city of Izium as Russian forces occupied the region.”asks HRW in a report released Tuesday, recalling that Russian forces have used anti-personnel mines in many parts of Ukraine since the invasion began nearly a year ago, but that this type of weapon is banned.
The organization said it had documented numerous cases of Soviet-made “butterfly mines” in Izium launched from missiles and found in nine areas where Russian troops were located, suggesting that the Russians were precisely “the targets.”
“Ukrainian forces appear to have deployed large-scale mines in the town of Izium, causing civilian casualties and continuing risk”said HRW’s weapons division director Steve Goose, quoted in the report.
“Russian forces have repeatedly used anti-personnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this does not justify the use of weapons banned by Ukraine,” he added.
The ‘butterfly’ mines (PFM-1S), green or brown in color, are filled with 37 grams of explosive liquid and are usually equipped with a self-destruct system after 40 hours, but the mechanism is often defective.reminds HRW.
The city of Izium was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in mid-September after more than five months of Russian occupation.
HRW conducted a survey of the area between September 19 and October 9, questioning more than 100 witnesses and identifying 11 mine victims.
According to local health authorities, heard by HRW, about 50 civilians, including at least five children, were likely injured by these mines during or after the Russian occupation, with half of them having their feet or legs amputated.
Ukraine is a party to the 1997 international treaty banning anti-personnel mines, ratified in 2005, the human rights organization recalls, asking Kiev to open an investigation and destroy its reserves of this weapon.
The Ottawa Convention, which entered into force in 1999, has 164 member states, a list that does not include the United States, Russia and China.
Asked by HRW about the report’s conclusions, Ukraine’s defense ministry said its military is fulfilling its international obligations, but stressed that information on the types of weapons used “will not be commented on until the end of the war”.
Source: DN
