Solutions to win: over 20,000 Ukrainians successfully complete mine safety course

The Ukrainian Deminers Association (UDA) successfully implemented a one-year project in cooperation with the Canadian-Ukrainian Foundation (CUF) to ensure safety and restore life in the affected communities.

UDA reported that.

The initiative covered three key areas:

• Educating the population on preventing risks from mines and explosive objects (EORE).

UDA provided mine safety training to 19,240 individuals, including both adults and children, in eight regions of Ukraine: Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, and Poltava. This surpassed the planned number by 7%. Participants gained valuable knowledge on how to handle mines correctly and how to safeguard themselves against explosive objects.

• Assistance to victims of mines and explosive objects (MVA).

UDA provided financial support to 166 mine victims across Ukraine, exceeding the plan by 66%. This assistance was intended to cover immediate needs such as medical expenses, household needs, and home repairs. For example, one of the men from the Kherson region used the funds received to repair a tractor, which allowed him to resume his work quickly. UDA continues to accept applications for assistance through its website.

• Non-technical survey of territories (NTO).

Throughout the project implementation, a non–technical survey was conducted on an area of over 78 million square meters, surpassing the planned target by 680%. This type of survey is the initial step in humanitarian demining, providing a safe evaluation of explosive contamination in a given area. Specially trained personnel gathered data from community members and government authorities to identify the presence or absence of explosive devices. Subsequently, reports were compiled and submitted to the mine action center, with a total of 59 reports completed, exceeding the planned amount by 18%.

Tymur Pistriuha, chairman of the board of the Ukrainian Deminers Association, notes:

"The uniqueness of this project lies in our comprehensive approach to supporting communities affected by war. We not only make areas safe but also build knowledge about mine safety and help people rebuild their lives. I am sincerely grateful to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation for their active support. Our cooperation has been ongoing since 2021 and covers numerous initiatives that allow us to respond effectively to the challenges facing Ukraine."

Reconstruction of the country is impossible without systematic mine action measures. The Ukrainian Deminers Association plays a vital role in this struggle, working on demining territories and educating the population, which allows communities to return to normal life.

For reference:

The Ukrainian Deminers Association is the biggest organization in Ukraine that specializes in mine countermeasures. Its main focus is humanitarian demining and raising public awareness about the dangers of mines.

It should be noted that thousands of Ukrainians, both military and civilians, bring home shell casings, cartridges, grenades, projectile parts, and many other so-called trophies of war. This raises questions about the increasing number of incidents in which these explosives are detonated in relatively peaceful cities. Can anything be done to prevent this? Rubryka investigated and explored the reasons behind this phenomenon in the article: "Why Ukrainians Bring Detonating War Trophies Home."