Russia floods front-line areas with banned PFM‑1 butterfly mines

The Russian Federation's army has begun to fill front-line areas with banned mines, reports the Ukrainian Unian agency, highlighting the increasing problem of prohibited PFM-1 mines. Here, we explain their capabilities.

For many months now, the Russians have not hesitated to use weapons that are banned in many countries or are highly controversial. Analysts have recently calculated that since the war in Ukraine began, the aggressor's forces have escalated attacks using chemical weapons (banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention).

Moreover, there have been multiple media reports of using smart cluster weapons on the front, including the Motiv-3M system. The problem with using these types of tools is that they pose a significant risk to civilians, and it is difficult to control their area of operation.

Despite this, the Russian Federation continues to use weapons banned by international law under the 2008 convention, which was signed by 111 countries worldwide (though Poland, the USA, Ukraine, and Russia are not on the list). According to the latest reports cited by the Unian agency, the Russians have begun to "flood" front-line areas with PFM-1 cluster anti-personnel mines.

As reported, some of these mines were found on a farm in the village of Siroka Balka in the Kherson oblast. Residents discovered dangerous, unmarked mines in the area, which, according to Unian, suggests that they have self-destruct devices. "This means that the use of such unmarked mines is a war crime," the Ukrainian agency reports. Importantly, demining and transporting this type of ammunition is impossible, so PFM-1 mines are usually destroyed where they are found.

The aforementioned PFM-1 cluster anti-personnel mines, designated by NATO as "Blue Parrot" and commonly called "butterfly mines," are small Soviet-made devices. A single PFM-1 mine measures a little over 2.36 inches in height, 0.79 inches in width, and reaches 4.72 inches in length. Its total mass is about 0.165 pounds, of which the explosive material (liquid VS6-D or VS-60D material) accounts for around 0.082 pounds.

The PFM-1 design is based on the MVDM/VGM-572 pressure fuse, which triggers an explosion under a minimum pressure of approximately 11 pounds. Another version, the PFM-1S, self-destructs after a set time, usually 40 hours.

Butterfly mines are deployed using helicopters, aircraft, and infantry. However, it should be noted that regardless of the type—PFM-1 or PFM-1S—none of the mines can be defused after being armed, and the only way to clear an area of these dangerous objects is to detonate them.