The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned on Tuesday, January 31, Ukraine against the "
apparent use
" by its armed forces of prohibited antipersonnel mines, during the battle to liberate Izium (east), occupied for nearly six months by the Russians and taken over by Kiev in September.
'Ukraine should investigate'
"
Ukraine should investigate the apparent use by its army of thousands of antipersonnel mines disseminated by rockets in and around the city of Izium when Russian forces occupied the area
," HRW wrote, while recalling that the Russian forces on their side have used anti-personnel mines in many parts of Ukraine since the start of the invasion almost a year ago.
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In Izium, the NGO has documented numerous cases of Soviet-made “
butterfly mines
” deployed from rocket fire.
They were found in nine areas where Russian positions were located, suggesting that these were “
the targets
”.
"
Ukrainian forces appear to have deployed mines extensively in the Izium area, causing civilian casualties and posing a continuing risk
," said Steve Goose, director of the arms department at HRW, quoted in the report.
“
Russian forces have repeatedly used anti-personnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this does not justify Ukraine's use of these banned weapons
,” he added.
Already several civilian victims
Butterfly mines (PFM-1S), green or brown in color, are filled with 37 grams of explosive liquid.
They are normally equipped with a self-destruction system after 40 hours, but the mechanism is often faulty, recalls HRW.
The city of Izium was retaken in mid-September by Ukrainian forces, after more than five months of Russian occupation.
HRW conducted an investigation in the area from September 19 to October 9, interviewing more than 100 witnesses, and identified eleven mine victims.
But according to the health services interviewed by HRW, around 50 civilians, including at least 5 children, were probably injured by these mines during or after the Russian occupation, half having suffered foot or leg amputations.
International commitment
Ukraine is a state party to the 1997 international treaty banning anti-personnel mines, which it ratified in 2005, recalls HRW, which is asking kyiv to open an investigation and destroy its stockpiles.
“
Ukraine respects its international obligations.
Our state has always been willing to accept investigations
,” Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram on Tuesday.
“
This problem (of anti-personnel mines) exists because Ukraine has been facing an enemy since 2014 (beginning of the war in eastern Ukraine, editor’s note), an enemy who has a number of weapons and uses all his arsenal against our people
,” he said.
The Ottawa Convention, which entered into force in 1999, has 164 States Parties, with the exception in particular of the United States, Russia and China.
