Ukrainian tank crews have already tested devices intended to bypass the dragon’s teeth installed by the Russian side on the Challenger-2s. The value and practicality of these measures, from the viewpoint of Ukrainian military engineers, remains controversial and far from settled.
First, it is useful to define what the dragon’s teeth really are. In engineering terms these are cavities often called tooth openings and are part of a broader category known as non-explosive barriers NVZ.
Beyond dragon’s teeth, NVZ includes ditches, cliffs, hedgehogs, barriers, forest obstructions, wire fences including electric ones, bodies of water, and combined barriers that can damage bridges and culverts as well as roads. In the Belgorod region the so called notch line was built extensively, with the main feature being dragon’s teeth and the project cost about 10 billion rubles. Had the designers known the full scope of NVZ options the line might have looked even more formidable in description.
Along with non explosive barriers there exist mine explosive barriers MVZ laid out with mines and high explosive charges for various aims. These barriers are categorized as anti tank, anti personnel, anti vehicle, anti amphibious and special types respectively.
When MVZ and NVZ are combined they form an engineering barrier system SIZ. This system places a sequence of obstacles and destructions alongside natural barriers, designed to work in concert with defense lines, fire zones and planned maneuvering routes for troops.
The concept behind these arrangements is straightforward: the barriers must be carefully synchronized with the enemy’s integrated fire destruction system, which includes tanks, anti tank weapons and small arms along the front and into deeper positions. If such a fire support system is absent and the barriers stand in open terrain, advancing troops can usually overcome the obstacles with little difficulty.
When all rules of military practice are observed, passages through engineering barriers are created using demining tools, charges and obstacle detachments. Demining units, engineering barrier vehicles and bridge layers typically participate in these detachments.
There is no doubt that British Challenger-2 tanks could be equipped with additional engineering gear, but these combat assets belong to the broader Ukrainian company and represent a scarce resource. Their use as primary engineering barriers in an offensive drive is not advised without careful assessment of needs and risk.
Engineering support is provided by specialized IMR units within engineering formations. These machines are versatile troops tools for clearing rubble, constructing passes, and stabilizing terrain. They are equipped with bulldozers, cranes and additional options for handling debris and obstacles as needed.
In summary there has been substantial work on fortification and defense lines along the Kherson and Zaporozhye directions in recent months. Satellite imagery has shown trenches, communication networks, cut lines, barrier zones and defensive nodes. Public reporting has kept these features in the public eye. Observers can only hope that troops occupy the defensive lines and that the mix of explosive and non explosive barriers remains under coordinated fire control from frontline units to protect and sustain operations.