What is Butterfly Mine?
Source : Indian Express
GS III : Internal Security

What is discussed under “What is Butterfly Mine”?

1. About Butterfly Mine
2. International Conventions against deadly weapons

Why in News ?

The UK Ministry of Defence, in its intelligence assessment of the ongoing war in Ukraine, has and sounded an alarm on the possible use of PFM-1 series ‘Butterfly Mines’ by the Russian military in Donetsk and Kramatorsk.

What is Butterfly Mine?

• • Russia has highly likely attempted employment of PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines.
  • Commonly called the ‘butterfly mine’, the PFM-1 series are deeply controversial, indiscriminate weapons.
  • It is also called as Green Parrots it looks like a coloured toy Since these mines were green in colour when they were first put to use they also earned the name Green Parrots.
  • PFM-1s were used to devastating effect in the Soviet-Afghan War where they allegedly maimed high numbers of children who “mistook them for toys. 
  • The main difference between the PFM-1 and PFM-1S mine is that the latter comes with a self destruction mechanism which gets activated within one to 40 hours.
  • It is very sensitive to touch and just the act of picking it up can set it off. Because of the relatively lesser explosive packed in this small mine, it often injures and maims the handler rather than killing them.
  • These mines are also difficult to detect because they are made of plastic and can evade metal detectors.
  • These mines can be deployed in the field of action through several means, which include being dropped from helicopters or through ballistic dispersion using artillery and mortar shells.
  • These mines glide to the ground without exploding and later explode on coming in contact.
  • Technical Specification
    • PFM series mines are moulded in polythene 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’. As per data available on the mine, a pressure exceeding 5 kg will activate the mine which contains 40g of explosive.

How it used in the past?

• • A million Butterfly mines litter Afghanistan and were airdropped in valleys and mountain passes to impede the movement of the Afghan Mujahideen.
  • More than 30,000 Afghans are believed to have been victims of these mines and a large number of children were among the casualties.

International Conventions against deadly weapons

• • 1996 Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons-the Landlines Protocol to which Russia and Ukraine are signatories.
  • Anti personal mines are banned by international convention on land lines but Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to it.

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