The Ministry of Strategy and Industry commented on the arrival of low-quality mines at the front

The Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin, commenting on the issue of low-quality mines at the front, said that several hundred projectiles were taken for analysis, and the commission for checking the quality of mines, which was launched on November 8, found four defects.

According to the correspondent of Radio Svoboda, he said this at a meeting with journalists who cover military topics.

“The commission found four deficiencies in mines. In particular, the inconsistency of the mine’s geometric parameters, powder gases escaping between the mortar barrel and the mine, the detonator capsule did not always work, as well as the non-condensation of the powders,” said Smetanin.

The minister added that after inspection, mines are returned to the company that produced them. They will establish there: if the mine meets the standards, then only the powder charge must be replaced.

“These batches of mines totaled 54,000. About 24,000 are subject to return for inspection, which will be returned to the enterprise,” the minister of strategic industries clarified.

Smetanin added that there were no problems with the use of mines in the summer “and there should not have been any in the winter, as the gunpowder was tested and approved for use.”

“However, during use, malfunctions of projectile charges were detected in conditions of negative temperatures. The commission is investigating the reason,” Smetanin added.

The Ministry of Defense announced on November 26 that for the third week it is actively investigating the causes of the abnormal activation of 120 mm mines. According to the department, the preliminary results of the investigation of the interdepartmental commission on the supply of low-quality mortar mines indicate the possible causes of defects, in particular, low-quality powder charges or violations of the storage conditions of ammunition, which led to their damage. The State Bureau of Investigation has started criminal proceedings on this fact.

Military commentator Yuriy Butusov recently published fragments of the video, which, according to him, were sent to him by mortar fighters. These shots show how the mine, before it had time to fly out of the mortar, falls a few meters after the shot.