Important Facts For Prelims
Butterfly Mine
- 13 Aug 2022
- 3 min read
Why in News?
The UK Ministry of Defence, in its intelligence assessment of the ongoing war in Ukraine, has sounded an alarm on the possible use of PFM-1 series ‘Butterfly Mines’ by the Russian military in Donetsk and Kramatorsk.
What are the findings of the Intelligence Assessment?
- Russia might have deployed anti-personnel mines to deter freedom of movement along its defensive lines in the Donbas (Donetsk & Luhansk).
- These mines have the potential to inflict widespread casualties amongst both the military and the local civilian population.
- In Donetsk and Kramatorsk, Russia has likely attempted employment of PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines.
- The PFM-1 and PFM-1S are commonly referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots’.
- These names are derived from the shape and colour of the mines.
- The PFM-1 and PFM-1S are commonly referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots’.
What is Butterfly Mine?
- About:
- It is a very sensitive anti-personnel landmine.
- An applied force of 5 kg is enough to detonate the mine.
- It is extremely dangerous, even for small children.
- The major difference between PFM-1 & PFM-1S is that the latter one comes with a self-destruction mechanism which gets activated within one to 40 hours.
- Uses:
- They can be dropped from helicopters or through ballistic dispersion using artillery and mortar shells.
- They glide to the ground without exploding and later explode on coming in contact.
- They can be dropped from helicopters or through ballistic dispersion using artillery and mortar shells.
- Detection:
- These mines are difficult to detect because they are made of plastic and can evade metal detectors.
- Technical Specification:
- They are moulded in polyethene plastic and have two wings, one of which is heavier than the other.
- The thicker wing is the pressure activation for the main fuse which is contained in the central body.
- The thinner wing acts as a stabiliser for the mine when it is air-dropped, thus giving it the name ‘butterfly’.
- They are moulded in polyethene plastic and have two wings, one of which is heavier than the other.
- Conventions on Anti-Personal Mines:
- The anti-personal mines are banned by international convention on land mines but Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to it.
- There is a 1996 Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons-the Landmines Protocol to which Russia and Ukraine are signatories.
