He is rewarded with his favorite food – reported to be cheese – along with some belly rubs. Dog breeds such as Jack Russells have a strong sense of smell, making them more effective than many human demining efforts. Russian forces have adopted more lethal methods. In June, intercepted calls showed that Russia was discussing sending Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoW) to minefields to clear explosives in Mariupol and other recently captured cities. Two officials with Russian accents could be heard planning details of the mission in audio clips released by Ukrainian authorities. “We have to find a way to use them in some way so they can serve the motherland,” said one. The Ukrainian security service claims the pair are Russian intelligence officers. International laws expressly prohibit the use of prisoners of war for free labor. The most common way to clear mines involves armored cars.
