Sappers of the Russian Armed Forces in the Kursk region showed camouflaged mines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Military personnel of the International Mine Action Center of the Military Engineering Academy as part of the North group of Forces continue to work on the detection and neutralization of improvised explosive devices in the Kursk region. This was announced by the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday, July 10.

Sappers are neutralizing unexploded discharges from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and kamikaze drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), as well as unexploded cluster submunitions often found in forest belts and fields. But first of all, residential areas, roads, and the immediate surroundings of populated areas are being surveyed.

In addition to those manufactured in Ukraine, sappers also find many explosive devices manufactured by NATO countries. According to Bogdan Mironov, deputy commander of the mine clearance unit of the International Mine Action Center of the Military Engineering Academy, about 90% of all detected ammunition was produced in NATO countries.

In addition, most of the remaining 10% are obsolete Soviet—era explosive devices. So, Mironov demonstrated the PTM-3 anti-tank mine produced in the USSR. The enemy tried to disguise it as an ordinary log.

"PTM-3 disguised as a log. With a "Sonic" type target sensor — a magnetic target sensor. On one side is the ammunition, on the other side is the wooden skeleton. It turns out to be as camouflaged and inconspicuous as possible for professionals," the soldier explained.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces hide explosive devices in various ways. If it is appropriate to hide a mine behind a log in a forest belt, then other items are already used in populated areas to place IEDs. A soldier with the call sign Hermes demonstrated a tube with explosives, which was hidden in a soft toy.

"What is a tube? Plastic explosive. The striking elements are balls and bolts. All this is spinning, an American-made electric detonator. All this was in a toy located in one of the apartment buildings. That is, if a non—professional is working, it is very difficult to detect," Hermes explained.

A soldier with the call sign Ishim showed explosive devices disguised as a portable battery and a watch.

An explosion from above: how the Russian Armed Forces use drones for mine clearance

The use of drones has been included in the training program for engineering troops.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry told how Sergeant Stanislav Tolmachev was clearing mines on a bridge in a restricted time zone when a motion sensor went off on an explosive device and a countdown started.