Munich (ots) – Unexploded bombs and mines contaminate the bombed-out houses, streets and fields of Velyka Komyshuvakha, a farming village in eastern Ukraine that was occupied by Russian troops from April to September 2022. The village is 90% destroyed. Nevertheless, 95 of the 521 villagers have returned there and are trying to rebuild their homes and start a new life.
A difficult, dangerous and lengthy undertaking for almost a hundred people. “We used to be farmers and now all our fields are mined,” says Inna. “We used to have everything: cows, pigs, poultry. Now we have nothing. The skeletons of my cows are still lying around nearby. Today I work mainly for the village council and help clean up the rubble every day. The school and the village center were completely bombed out and all the seed stores collapsed,” said the 53-year-old.
Mines and booby traps everywhere
The area is heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance and is extremely dangerous, says Viktoria Vdovichuk from the aid organization Handicap International (HI). “All the explosive weapons used in war are lying around here: mines, tripwires, anti-personnel mines, anti-vehicle mines, but also cluster bombs and artillery shells of all calibers,” Viktoria lists. “Yet the villagers have returned and live here today. They put their lives in danger every day!”
The Handicap International teams carry out so-called educational events in the villages that were cut off from the outside world by the war. HI’s specialists help identify the different types of explosive devices, explain why they are dangerous and the injuries they can cause. They show what the villagers have to do if they come across an explosive device and how they can get to safety. “You are never allowed to touch them, let alone step on them,” said Vdovichuk! “This is of course very, very dangerous!”
Explosion during field work
The youngest participant is Nazar, 11 years old. This Ukrainian boy, whose school has been bombed a dozen times in the last two years, says he has already encountered explosive remains in his village; he’s even seen some explode before his eyes. Naive and frightened at the same time, he points to the rubble of explosive devices lying in the narrow streets of the village, hidden in the grass or marked with a white tape (an unofficial warning sign): “I learned that if I see something suspicious on the If you see a street, you have to leave immediately and call the emergency services,” says Nazar. For another boy, the warnings came too late, says Inna: “My godson was working in the field and harvesting vegetables when one of the mines exploded right next to him. Luckily he is alive, but his elbow leaves can no longer bend and his back is badly injured by shrapnel,” said Inna.
Reconstruction despite fear of mines and unexploded bombs
At the entrance to the village, the only “café” where residents used to meet is in ruins. The premises were used by the Russian soldiers as a “base”. A group of women with shovels and trash bags try to clean up the graffiti and debris that can be seen everywhere. The fear of stepping on a mine or touching it with a shovel is always there. The scars left by the massive use of explosive weapons in Ukraine are like deep trenches. They cut off entire areas of Ukraine from the outside world and not only make daily life difficult, but also access to food, doctor’s offices and shops.
“There’s nothing here anymore!”
Like most residents of this rural area, Inna has to travel at least 25 kilometers to shop or receive medical treatment. “There is nothing here anymore. We don’t have a café or a shop. With a bit of luck, a doctor can come to us every Wednesday. Who will look after us? At least here we can be grateful that we received building materials so that we can build ours “We can rebuild houses,” concluded Inna.
All the people in eastern Ukraine who want to return to their homes one day, and all those who are already fighting for a bit of normality in the destroyed villages, will have to live with the fear of mines and unexploded bombs for a long time to come.
Handicap International treats seriously injured people in Ukraine, looks after people with disabilities and has already informed over 60,000 people about the dangers of unexploded bombs. The teams have trained over 2,200 humanitarian aid workers and 95 people who are contacts for the issue in their communities.
Handicap International in der Ukraine
Handicap International cares for seriously injured people in Ukraine, looks after people with disabilities and has already helped over 60,000 people Dangers of unexploded bombs enlightened. The teams have trained over 2,200 humanitarian aid workers and 95 people who are contacts for the issue in their communities.
Questions & Contact:
Huberta von Roedern
Head of press and public relations
Mail: h.vonroedern@hi.org
Tel.: +49 89/54 76 06 34
Mobil: +49 151 73 02 32 06
www.handicap-international.de