During that night in July, three or four minesweepers, and as many Ukrainian scouts, were making their way on foot – and even more often crawling – toward the Russian-occupied village of Piatykhatky, near Zaporizhzhia, in the south of the country. They got so close to the guard post that they could hear the sentries talking. At dawn, a corridor was cleared toward the enemy positions: Ukrainian troops had been able to rush in and retake the destroyed little town, house by house. "The Russians expected heavy equipment, armored vehicles, and large contingents. This light operation took them by surprise. To tell the truth, we hadn't planned it either. We seized the opportunity," said Bogdan, 48, a minesweeper with the Ukraine's 128^th brigade.

For the military leaders back in Kyiv, the breakthrough around Piatykhatky, however modest, was one of the breakthroughs of the counteroffensive Ukraine has been undertaking against Russia. Against all expectations, most Ukrainian advances in the south succeeded in areas where Western heavy machinery – long coveted by Kyiv – had not been used. As a result, some battalions were ordered to put them aside for the time being in favor of smaller units supported by mine-clearing squads.

Since then, the counteroffensive has become a slow, painful march at a human pace across bare plains with nothing to hide behind. On August 29, Ukraine announced the liberation of Robotyne, another village in the area. It would constitute a real breakthrough in the Russian defensive positions if confirmed. But the Ukrainians are facing a major obstacle: Minefields.

'Infinite reserves'

The location where the 10 sappers [military engineers] of the 128^th Ukrainian brigade set up camp is not exactly what one would expect from a military settlement. They opted for a posh villa on the outskirts of a small town. From the balcony, Russian positions can be seen on the horizon at the end of one of those immense, smooth plains. Launching an assault comes immediately to mind. In reality, they are a mirage. These steppes are the famous 5-15 kilometers wide mine barriers that encircle the Russian defense lines and hold back Ukrainian armor.

"Initially, we didn't expect such a density of explosives over such a large area. We'd never seen anything like it. It was almost inconceivable in terms of equipment. But Moscow has infinite reserves, 90% of which date back to the Soviet Union. They sow them like wheat, without counting," said Maksim, a career soldier and chief sapper with the 128^th brigade.

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