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DPR Emergencies Ministry sappers deactivate about 19,000 Lepestok mines in two weeks

38 cases of civilians blown up on Lepestok mines were recorded in the republic

DONETSK, August 11. /TASS/. Sappers of the Republican Rescue Center of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DPR) Emergencies Ministry have already deactivated about 19,000 Lepestok anti-personnel mines, which were dropped on cities and towns of the republic by the Ukrainian forces, the press service of the rescue agency reported on Thursday.

"Ukraine's armed forces, with the help of rocket artillery, practically every day use Lepestok anti-personnel mines against the peaceful population of the DPR. The sappers of the Republican Rescue Center of the DPR Emergencies Ministry promptly destroy these explosive objects following the population’s requests. <...> In total, about 19,000 pieces have been neutralized," a message on the department's Telegram channel said.

Earlier on Thursday, Eduard Basurin, deputy chief of the DPR People’s Militia, said that 38 cases of civilians blown up on Lepestok mines were recorded in the republic. Ukrainian troops began actively using such explosive devices from July 28, later they repeatedly dropped such mines on Donetsk, Makeyevka and other settlements of the republic.

The PFM-1 Lepestok is a pressure-type antipersonnel mine. It can be mounted remotely by dropping cassette blocks carried by rocket artillery shells. The body of the mine is made of polyethylene of a protective color, which makes it extremely difficult to detect. The mine is especially dangerous for civilians because it is difficult to recognize it because of unusual shape.