Ukrainian units are increasingly turning to improvised explosive devices as shortages of factory-made mines become more acute, according to a Russian serviceman.

The assessment was given to RIA Novosti by a sapper known by the call sign Skif, serving with the 83rd Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment of the Center group of forces.

According to him, Ukrainian troops are facing a major shortage of standard munitions used for mining and are relying more heavily on homemade devices. He said these improvised weapons remain functional, although Russian forces have not seen any notable new designs emerge so far.

Pressure-activated mines are among the types most frequently encountered, Skif said. These include blast, anti-personnel and mechanically triggered devices. Their plastic casings are produced with 3D printing, then fitted with an explosive charge and an initiation mechanism before being concealed at the intended deployment site.

Ukrainian forces are also using homemade devices based on the PTM-3 design. Skif described them as shaped-charge anti-bottom and anti-track mines equipped with a non-contact magnetic target sensor.

Russian troops have also recently encountered Soviet-made OZM-72 mines more often. According to Skif, these are being fitted with radar fuzes operating on the Doppler effect.

He said such devices should be detected in time and destroyed by fire from cover at a safe distance.