ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION, Ukraine, July 27 (Reuters) - Sappers fresh from the front conducted mine clearance drills in southeastern Ukraine this week, a task that is proving crucial but painstakingly slow as Ukrainian troops try to advance on Russian forces.
As they trained on Wednesday, the sappers outlined the challenges they faced on the battlefield, offering an insight into why the counteroffensive has so far progressed slowly.
Tasked with clearing tens of thousands of Russian mines, the sappers have to worry about booby traps, bombs and mortar attacks.
Oleksandr, who uses the call sign Agronomist, said NATO standards allowed for one person to advance seven square metres within four hours.
Before the counteroffensive began, Russian occupying forces on the southern front had time to dig trenches and put down "dragon's teeth" barricades, anti-tank ditches and mines.
Persons:
Oleksandr, that's, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Zelenskiy, Tom Balmforth, Timothy
Organizations:
Sappers, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson
Locations:
Ukraine, Russian