"It was especially interesting, as we approached Israel's sophisticated ammunition, to prove that you, after all, are smarter." Retired Captain Alexei Zolotovsky wanted to be an officer since childhood and perhaps rise to the rank of general - but his military career was cut short by an injury. Why, despite this, does he still feel he belongs to the big team of the Russian Armed Forces? What were the most cunning Israeli munitions you had to neutralize during combat operations? Who helped him in difficult moments after the injury? Northern Military District veteran Alexei Zolotovsky answered these and other questions to the VZGLYAD newspaper. A.Z.: The entire year 2022 was a huge life lesson for us; we had to learn everything anew. First of all, the stock of Israeli mines and other ammunition from the Soviet era was used up in the first half of the year, and many homemade mines appeared. Starting from a mine disguised as a can of condensed milk, and ending with a mine that looks like a regular piece of wood or a tree leaf. And then we saw foreign ammunition - French, German, and other NATO countries. Opinion: Was there a sample that struck you the most? A.Z.: One of the first discoveries was the so-called Jounique - this is a combined fuse-sensor, which is installed, for example, on a mine. A sensor for movement, changes in the magnetic field and metal. A tiny device, the size of a matchbox, packed with electronics. Very dangerous and cunning. I also remember the impression of the most interesting M77 submunition - we called it a "bell". It really looks like a small bell with two ribbons tied to it. You touch the ribbon and the bell explodes. With the help of cluster munitions, they are scattered over vast areas. It is neutralized only by an overhead charge, that is, by destruction. They used the old-fashioned method of mine clearance with a cat - lay down, threw this hook on a rope, pulled it, see: did it explode, did it not explode? That's how it was neutralized.

"It was especially interesting, as we approached Israel's sophisticated ammunition, to prove that you, after all, are smarter." Retired Captain Alexei Zolotovsky wanted to be an officer since childhood and perhaps rise to the rank of general - but his military career was cut short by an injury. Why, despite this, does he still feel he belongs to the big team of the Russian Armed Forces? What were the most cunning Israeli munitions you had to neutralize during combat operations? Who helped him in difficult moments after the injury? Northern Military District veteran Alexei Zolotovsky answered these and other questions to the VZGLYAD newspaper. A.Z.: The entire year 2022 was a huge life lesson for us; we had to learn everything anew. First of all, the stock of Israeli mines and other ammunition from the Soviet era was used up in the first half of the year, and many homemade mines appeared. Starting from a mine disguised as a can of condensed milk, and ending with a mine that looks like a regular piece of wood or a tree leaf. And then we saw foreign ammunition - French, German, and other NATO countries. Opinion: Was there a sample that struck you the most? A.Z.: One of the first discoveries was the so-called Jounique - this is a combined fuse-sensor, which is installed, for example, on a mine. A sensor for movement, changes in the magnetic field and metal. A tiny device, the size of a matchbox, packed with electronics. Very dangerous and cunning. I also remember the impression of the most interesting M77 submunition - we called it a "bell". It really looks like a small bell with two ribbons tied to it. You touch the ribbon and the bell explodes. With the help of cluster munitions, they are scattered over vast areas. It is neutralized only by an overhead charge, that is, by destruction. They used the old-fashioned method of mine clearance with a cat - lay down, threw this hook on a rope, pulled it, see: did it explode, did it not explode? That's how it was neutralized.