Ukrainian Bomb Tamers Clean Up Russia -Spread Soviet -Made Banned Landmines In Kharkiv

Penjinak ranjau Ukraina. (Wikimedia Commons/dsns.gov.ua/State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian authorities began clearing landmines in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, which were spread by Russia, asking people in the region to exercise caution.

On Monday, security forces surrounded an area east of Kharkiv as they cleared a number of small devices scattered on residential streets.

Lieutenant Colonel Nikolay Ovcharuk, head of the mines unit of the state emergency services, said the device was a PTM-1M plastic mine, which was detonated using a timer and was widely used by Soviet troops in Afghanistan.

"They have self-destruct timers," he said as a loudspeaker warned people not to approach the enclosed area where the minesweeper team was working.

Reuters could not independently confirm the type of device. Scattered landmines, such as the PTM-1M mine, are prohibited under the Ottawa treaty on antipersonnel mines because of the risk of civilian casualties.

Earlier, authorities issued a warning that Russian troops had dropped a "parachute bomb" on Kharkiv, a major city close to the northeastern border with Russia, which had been under bombardment for weeks.

Residents said the mines had been dropped in the early hours of Monday.

"Tonight at 1 a.m., we heard some strange noises, something whistled and then everything fell," said a local man who gave his name as Sergey.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of war crimes, however, Moscow, which launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, denies targeting civilians. Russia called its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.”