Tyla

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Not now
OK
Advert
Advert
Advert

Women undergoing specialist training to help clear unexploded bombs from Ukraine

Lucy Devine

Published 
| Last updated 

Women undergoing specialist training to help clear unexploded bombs from Ukraine

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Vice News

Women in Ukraine are clearing thousands of unexploded Russian bombs and mines.

Six months on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, and more than a quarter of the country is littered with explosives. According to the US, up to 60 percent of Russian explosives failed to detonate, meaning people in the country are still at risk of being killed or injured by the ordnance.

Six months on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, and more than a quarter of the country is littered with explosives. Credit: Mykhailo Palinchak/Alamy Stock Photo
Six months on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, and more than a quarter of the country is littered with explosives. Credit: Mykhailo Palinchak/Alamy Stock Photo

Due to most men being unable to leave the country, Ukrainian women are heading off to get the training needed to safely remove the unexploded ordnance. The four-week course certifies them as deminers under the International Mine Action Standards.

Advert

One woman, Dasha Starikova, joined the effort after initially fleeing to Slovakia where she was volunteering to help refugees.

She learnt that some of her colleagues were undergoing training in Kosovo where they would return to Ukraine to demine the land.

“I just want to continue my work,” Starikova told VICE World News in a video shared on their YouTube.

“My husband told me that I can stay in Slovakia for more time, but I decided not to do it because I want to continue my work. If I will lay down on the bed, I will go insane."

Advert

She continued: "We are doing something important. We are important."

It is mainly women who are permitted to leave Ukraine. Credit: davide bonaldo/Alamy Stock Photo
It is mainly women who are permitted to leave Ukraine. Credit: davide bonaldo/Alamy Stock Photo

Ben Remfrey, who is a former British soldier running one of the world's leading training centres, started a charity - along with his colleagues - called Friends of Ukraine EOD, which provides the programme for free.

“In the short term, we've been advising the operators on the ground inside Ukraine how to deal with some of the munitions that they're coming across, because they've got no idea,” he told VICE.

Advert

“We're advising them how to render safe some of these airdropped weapons, or cluster munitions, or destroy in situ. All the while, what we're doing is we're trying to move towards a concept of train and equip.

“As far as I know, it's the first training of its type – to international standards – that's happened for any Ukrainian since the beginning of the Russian invasion."

Many women have been joining the effort to clear the explosives. Credit: Dziurek/Alamy Stock Photo
Many women have been joining the effort to clear the explosives. Credit: Dziurek/Alamy Stock Photo

Once the women join the month-long training, they learn how to correctly identify different types of explosives and how to spot other remnants of war such as booby traps.

Advert

They then learn how to dispose of them to make sure the area is safe for civilians.

Topics: News

Lucy Devine
More like this
Advert
Advert
Advert

Chosen for YouChosen for You

Entertainment

Gogglebox star George Gilbey dies aged 40

13 hours ago

Most Read StoriesMost Read

Viewers binge 'gripping' crime drama in one go amid calls for second series

2 days ago