How Ukraine’s land is being turned into a death trap that will haunt its people for decades to come
27.07.2023 - 05:23
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
As brutal war rages on in Ukraine, a hidden threat that will haunt its people for decades lurks beneath their feet.
Anti-personnel landmines are explosives designed to maim and kill. These weapons, which can remain a lingering lethal threat for civilians for years, are considered so vile they are subject to a global ban known as the Mine Ban Treaty of 1997. But, sadly, in the haze of war, rules are sometimes put aside.
Fighting in Ukraine has seen these lethal devices return to European soil. Deployed by both Russian and Ukrainian forces, they are a horribly effective way of injuring soldiers and civilians, and cutting off safe access to land that could be a lifeline for communities.
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Mines Advisory Group (MAG) is a Manchester-based charity working to clear these deadly weapons in Ukraine. CEO Darren Cormack explained the ‘enormous’ challenges his teams are facing in the region.
“Following the invasion in late February it was becoming very apparent that there would be extensive levels of contamination, from both unexploded ordnance (UXOs) and landmines,” he said.
“All of that demonstrates an urgent need for intervention.”
At the Ukrainian recovery conference in June, Ukrainian officials reported 173,000 square kilometres of land potentially contaminated with landmines and UXOs - that’s an area larger than England, Wales, and Northern Ireland combined. It’s a problem so severe that several hundred million pounds and decades of difficult work will likely be needed to clear it.
In fact, the scale of contamination is so huge that Darren says MAG is one of the few organisations in the world with the experience to deal with it. And