the titanic challenge of demining

The threat is invisible, but still present, months after the departure of Russian soldiers from Kharkiv (Ukraine). The deminers progress cautiously, listening to the signal emitted by the metal detectors. In case of suspicion, it is necessary to dig, the most dangerous moment, when the mine can explode. There, it’s a piece of scrap metal. “We also work a lot with the eyes, because there are leaf-shaped mines”, indicates a deminer. Russian fighters mined all approaches to their position. At the foot of the trenches, the task is daunting.

“They weren’t arranging them by hand”

Everything must be combed through. Fields, roads, houses, buildings and even cemeteries. “The Russians planted the mines in several ways. By firing Grad missiles or by throwing them from helicopters. They weren’t laying them out by hand”, explains the deminer. In this war-torn village, there is a lot of unexploded ordnance left. The inhabitants called on Maxime, who works for the American NGO Halo, the largest specialist in the world. “Setting foot here is already a risk. Only crazy people are not afraid”likes to say the one who hangs the red panels with the skull.