Solutions to win: Kharkiv entrepreneur creates anti-mine boots
Photo: illustrative/SaveUkraineNow
An entrepreneur from Kharkiv, Ihor Yefimenko, created special anti-mine boots after a mine blew up his relative. He became the only one in Ukraine who makes protective footwear that can withstand explosions from "petals" and "witches" mines.
ShoTam tells the story of the entrepreneur.
What is the problem?
For 13 years, Ihor Yefimenko developed a car repair and spare parts manufacturing company. Its service stations are located in the Kharkiv region, one in Saltivka.
"We started making defensive ammunition, repairing military and police cars because no one was working then. And even more so in Saltivka, when it was very hot there," says Ihor Yefimenko, director of the Ukrainian Resource Center.
After a tragic incident with his relative, Ihor started thinking about shoes that would protect against mines.
According to the inventor, his relative evacuated an ambulance in de-occupied Balaklia and blew up a mine.
"His fingers were torn off there. It shocked me a little personally. And then I thought: "Well, since we make armor, armor plates, maybe we can do something like that against mines?" the man says.
What is the solution?
"From the first days, we felt what war was like. We have a bomb shelter there, and all our employees and their families moved there from the first days," the man says.
Despite the shelling, the workers did not leave work because they wanted to help.
How does it work?
Rescuers from the State Emergency Service showed Ihor Canadian mine-resistant boots. They are no longer produced, so Ihor and his engineers developed his model, "Spider," in a month.
"Now, a PFM-1 mine was blown up during the tests of our protective shoes. The legs are intact; the boot is intact; the protective element has come off, which can be quickly replaced," the entrepreneur says.
"Spiders" are needed by sappers and utility workers working in de-occupied territories.
"Thanks to the shoes' design, the explosion's epicenter is far away from the sapper's leg, preventing traumatic limb amputation. Tested with PFM-1, PMN-2, and PMN mines," says Igor.
The boots cost 15,000 hryvnias, several times cheaper than their foreign counterparts.
"There are Israeli developments. But it should be noted that Israeli shoes, which are "pillows," reach 3,000 euros or 4,000 euros. The goal is not to make money from this position; the goal is to make these shoes as much as possible to provide maximum protection, which I can do for the boys," says the man.
As you know, Ihor has already sold almost three hundred boots. There were also state orders and separate orders from defenders and volunteers. But he also regularly receives requests to provide boots to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for free, so he is looking for donors.
In addition, he is ready to expand production, so he is open to cooperation.
"My dream is the Victory; it's the only thing on my mind day and night. And as for business, we have enough energy!" said Yefimenko.
