ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine - As Ukraine prepares to launch a long-trumpeted counterattack, the first obstacle its soldiers must push through isn't Russia's defenses. It's their own.
Like Russia, Ukraine has laid thousands of mines along its front line. And to advance into occupied territory, its troops now need to get through these lines without tipping off the Russians, who would notice if heavy machinery were brought in or explosions were set off. This means sappers must go out to the fields and quietly remove the mines.