According to the National Mine Action Authority, around 21.5% of Ukraine’s territory may be potentially contaminated with mines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war. This is more than a fifth of the country, where being present may pose a danger to life.
Rescue services stress that explosives often go unnoticed: munitions can be hidden in grass, under leaves, in abandoned buildings, or disguised as seemingly ordinary objects — boxes, parcels, even children’s toys.
To avoid tragedy, it is vital to follow simple but life-saving rules. If you see a suspicious object or something that resembles a mine or shell:
- stop immediately and do not approach the item;
- do not touch it, move it or try to inspect it yourself;
- carefully move back the same way you came, to a safe distance;
- call 101 as soon as possible and report the find to the rescue services.
Experts urge people to be especially careful when walking in forests, fields, near bodies of water, at abandoned sites, and to be sure to explain these rules to children. Observing basic safety measures helps protect life and health.