Russian forces in occupied Kherson Oblast have been laying mines and burying explosives by gas lines, electrical substations, and other pieces of critical infrastructure, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Nov. 7.
The actions indicate that Russian forces likely intend to destroy critical infrastructure in the event of their retreat from the area, HUR claimed.
Although Russian forces retreated from the regional capital Kherson in November 2022, they still occupy most of the region on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, while subjecting residents of the liberated areas to regular attacks.
Ukrainian officials have said that nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory had been mined since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The interior minister noted that 248 people have been killed by mines, and 525 have been injured since February 2022.
Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, said in July 2023 that Russian forces operating there had begun to mine critical infrastructure in the area, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Rich Wordsworth
