Russia has used at least seven different types of internationally outlawed landmines in Ukraine, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

It was the only country besides Myanmar to have resorted to such weapons between mid-2021 and October 2022, according to the annual Landmine Monitor report.

The mines were discovered and partly cleared in areas recaptured by Ukraine. Moscow had accused Kiev of laying landmines itself. However, this information could not be independently verified.

Landmines are often only the size of the palm of a hand and can be spread over large areas from the ground or from the air by missiles. They lie in the ground and explode when someone approaches or steps on them. Most of the victims are civilians.

More than 5500 people were killed or injured by landmines and other munitions left in the ground in 2021, Thursday’s report said. That is about 1500 fewer than in 2020.

According to the report, the military dictatorship of Myanmar uses landmines to prevent attacks on infrastructure such as pipelines, mobile phone towers or raw materials companies.

Non-state actors have used landmines in at least five countries, including Colombia, India and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In at least 60 countries, live landmines are still lying in the ground.

Eleven countries are still producing these weapons, most notably India, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan and Russia, the report states.

-DPA