August M
When fighting leaves a town, true safety remains far out of reach.
According to UNITED24 Media, hidden hazards left in the soil threaten civilians long after troops leave, making courage essential to rebuild normal life.
Hidden hazards
In liberated towns across Ukraine, returning residents face a quiet crisis. Retreating forces left behind thousands of buried explosives and hidden traps in everyday spaces.
To stop this threat, Canadian non-profit Mriya Aid stepped in. United24Media reported that the group raised $10 million to train local deminers to international standards across 100 military and state units.
Lubomyr Chabursky, a board member for the organization, stressed the vital nature of this mission. “Every single grenade, trip wire, mine, removed is a saved life,” Lubomyr Chabursky said.
Among those learning these techniques is Donetsk native Radmyla Volovetska. She watched her home city endure occupation in 2014 before deciding to clear explosive remnants.
Modern safety
Volovetska recalled how her early life shaped her decision to join a demining center. “I lived an ordinary life in a small city in the Donetsk region called Kramatorsk,” she said. “A city for which Ukrainian soldiers are now fighting every single day.”
Through intensive courses organized in Kosovo, trainees master modern methods for handling dangerous devices. Volovetska praised the instructors for focusing on real-world preparation.
“They do not simply provide theoretical knowledge or certificates,” she said. “They genuinely prepare specialists for real-life situations and real responsibility.”
The training extends to front-line police forces as well. Dnipro officer Vadym Fursa graduated as a top student from the Kosovo course in 2024, and he now teaches fellow officers how to manage unexpected explosives.
Building trust
Teamwork forms the foundation of every clearance mission in the field. Working closely together ensures that every person relies on shared judgment during risky operations.
“You were responsible not only for your own decisions, but also for your team,” Volovetska said. “It taught us leadership, responsibility, delegation, and trust in other people’s experience and judgment.”
Clearing vast territories will take decades of steady work across the nation. Even so, every trained specialist brings affected communities one step closer to genuine peace.
Sources: United24Media
