In bid to deter Russia, Ukraine lays over 500,000 landmines near northern frontier

The north of Ukraine is protected from a new attack of enemy vehicles and heavy military equipment by hundreds of thousands of anti-tank mines, the commander of the joint forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev told news agency Ukrinform.

From June 2022, anti-tank minefields, anti-tank groups of mines, sets of anti-personnel explosive devices, landmines and minefields have been installed on the main directions of the enemy's possible offensive.

"The density of mine-explosive barriers in our area of responsibility has been increased 16 times," Nayev said, comparing it to the situation likely at the time of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

According to him, conditions are being created so that the state border of Ukraine in the north is "completely impassable for enemy forces".

After the failure of Russia's all-out invasion from the north and their expulsion from there, the Russians go in small subversive groups across the border to Sumy, Chernihiv and Kharkiv oblasts. The enemy's tactical aircraft and drones are constantly operating in the border areas of Ukraine.

In the north, the Defense Forces are strengthening anti-aircraft defense in anticipation of winter and new missile and drone strikes by the enemy on infrastructure and military facilities.