April 4 – International Day of Mine Awareness and Mine Action Assistance.
Ukraine has become the most mined country in the world, ahead of Afghanistan and Syria. Ukrainian sappers and rescuers defuse from 2 to 6 thousand projectiles and mines every day, each of which differs in its principle of action and consequences of the explosion.
“During the military operations, mines, together with bombs, artillery and other unexploded ordnance, polluted the territory of the country to such an extent that it will take 757 years to clear it.”, – the publication TIME notes.
At the same time, there is a classic formula in the world: a year of war is 10 years of mine clearance. Taking into account that military operations in Ukraine began in 2014, the term is 100 years. However, you should remember the priorities at conducting demining: first – the main infrastructure objects, then – agricultural lands, and at the end – hard-to-reach lands. The difficulty of demining is that explosive objects can be hidden anywhere, so until the sappers check every meter, the areas will remain unsafe for people to live.
The statistics regarding the mining of the territory of Ukraine and its consequences are impressive:
“During the military operations in Ukraine, 289 civilians were killed by landmines, 15 of them were children. In addition, during demining, 21 employees of the State Emergency Service were killed, another 87 pyrotechnicians were injured while carrying out the task of demining the territory. – reported Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that at the moment there is no question of complete humanitarian demining, as this requires the end of hostilities. He explained that demining is a long process that has three stages in total: combat, operational and humanitarian.
“At the combat stage, the territory is demined by the military, advancing at the front. At the operational stage, police and rescuers carry out stabilization measures in the de-occupied territories. Humanitarian demining is a complete deep cleaning of both land and water areas from explosive objects.”, – clarified Klymenko.
According to the Minister, the State Register of Territories Contaminated by Explosive Objects is currently being prepared. The State Emergency Service carries out demining every day with the help of almost 400 units of various equipment, while a lot of help provided by international allies and partners. In particular, Japan, which transfers special equipment, special transport and special equipment to Ukraine. However, there is a shortage of explosives specialists – the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs currently has about 2,000 sappers from the State Emergency Service, the National Police and the National Guard, but it is planned to increase their number to 2,800.
Farmers who try to cultivate their land without waiting for the permission of the relevant services are often blown up by landmines. In addition, people, especially children, ignore the ban on going to the forest, swimming in water bodies or fishing. There are those who find a mine and try to disassemble it right on the spot or carry it home.
In addition to people, rare species of animals and plants suffer from mine explosions. If people have a chance to escape from them, animals living in forests do not have such an opportunity. When a mine is detonated, dry grass and wood are almost immediately ignited, and a forest fire occurs. Mines also spoil the soil – fragments of ammunition release heavy metals into the environment and groundwater – iron, chromium, copper, zinc, mercury. It will not be possible to grow agricultural crops on these lands in the future.
How to protect yourself from mine danger?
Try to follow a route that someone has recently walked or traveled. If you are driving, avoid roads where there are no other cars. Walk only on the road where everything is visible.
Remember that explosive objects can be located close to destroyed equipment or buildings, as well as next to shells, in bushes, grass on the side of the road, tied to trees and even deliberately hidden in toys, books or behind telephones that are lying around on earth.
Be careful and attentive, do not pick up unfamiliar objects on the street and do not approach any military equipment, ammunition, shells, their fragments and especially mines and do not touch them under any circumstances.
If you suddenly step on a mine, you can no longer move. You need to call for help immediately and call 101 for the Emergency Service.
If you see something suspicious, remnants of military equipment or ammunition, also call 101.
Teach children safety literacy, including how to handle landmines, which are often disguised as children’s toys.
