Among them are fake trenches designed to lure Ukrainians into a death trap, researchers found on a recent Ukraine trip.
And while many of the trenches are actual Russian combat positions, others have been traps, researchers learned from front-line Ukrainian forces.
They have mine trenches," Kofman said, explaining that they attempt to "lure Ukrainian forces into trenches that have been mined" with remote-activated mines "and then blow up the mines."
The possibility that the trench Ukrainian infantry are rushing into might be an explosive trap makes things immensely more difficult.
Hendrickson said they have come across extremely complex minefields in which anti-tank mines are protected by anti-personnel mines and other explosives surrounded by booby traps.
Persons:
we've, Michael Kofman, Kofman, Laurent van der, Ryan Hendrickson, Hendrickson, Franz, Stefan Gady
Organizations:
Service, Center for Naval, 81st Airmobile Battalion, Le Monde, US Army Special Forces Engineer, Toronto Television, Paratroopers, Center for New American Security, Ukrainian
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Seversk, Russian, Afghanistan