Vladimir Putin's forces are probably deploying anti-personnel mines to "protect and deter freedom of movement along its defensive lines in the Donbas", the Ministry of Defence said in its latest intelligence update.
"In Donetsk and Kramatorsk, Russia has highly likely attempted employment of PFM-1 and PFM-15 scatterable anti-personnel mines," it claimed.
"Commonly called the 'butterfly mine', the PFM-1 series are deeply controversial, indiscriminate weapons. PFM-1s were used to devastating effect in the Soviet-Afghan War where they allegedly maimed high numbers of children who mistook them for toys.
"It is highly likely that the Soviet-era stock being used by Russia will have degraded and are now highly unreliable and unpredictable. This poses a threat to both the local population and humanitarian mine clearance operations."
Also known as green parrot mines, PFMs can be deployed from mortars, helicopters and planes and glide to the ground without exploding.
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