Ukraine: Life in a village surrounded by landmines | Focus on Europe

Key Concepts

• Landmines and Unseen Dangers: The pervasive threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Kamyanka, a village formerly occupied by the Russian army.
• Impact on Civilian Life: The severe disruption to daily life, livelihoods, and safety for the remaining residents.
• Resilience and Adaptation: The determination of villagers to survive and maintain their way of life despite extreme hardship.
• Childhood Trauma and Lost Futures: The psychological impact on children and the uncertainty of their future prospects.
• Mine Clearance Efforts: The ongoing work of NGOs and specialized equipment in demining the area.
• Destruction and Loss: The physical devastation of the village and the personal tragedies experienced by its inhabitants.

Kamyanka: A Village Under the Shadow of Mines

The eastern Ukrainian village of Kamyanka, once home to approximately 1,200 residents, now struggles with a drastically reduced population of barely a hundred. The departure of the Russian army has not brought complete safety, as a deadly, unseen danger – landmines – lurks everywhere.

Daily Life and Livelihoods Under Threat

Many residents, like Vasil and Tatiana, rely on subsistence farming. They have adapted by building a greenhouse, a crucial investment made by selling a cow in the first year of the war. This greenhouse allows them to grow essential produce such as tomatoes, peppers, dill, parsley, and cabbage, which they state is vital for their survival. However, adjacent plots of land remain uncultivated due to the extreme danger posed by landmines.

Personal Ordeals and Near-Death Experiences

Vasil and Tatiana have both suffered severe injuries from mines. They recount a harrowing experience during the Russian occupation where they, along with their son and a neighbor, were forced out of their cellar by soldiers. While being led away with their hands behind their heads, a soldier's radio call revealed an order to "Shoot them." They believed they were going to die, but the intervention of four Ukrainian soldiers at a nearby store created chaos, allowing the family to escape. They fled to the occupied city of Isizung. Vasil later returned alone to the village, navigating Russian checkpoints to check on their farm, leaving his family unaware of his whereabouts for a month.

The Scale of the Mine Threat

In the initial months of the war, Russia captured over a third of the Kharkiv region, encompassing more than 500 villages like Kamyanka. Anti-personnel mines were deployed extensively, often scattered by helicopters and motors. A particular concern are "butterfly mines," which are made of plastic and are difficult to detect even with metal detectors.

Childhood in a Mine-Infested Village

Artam is one of the few children remaining in Kamyanka. He is pursuing online English lessons, preparing for a future that may lie elsewhere, but he deeply misses attending school with his friends. His mother, Tanya, expresses her concern for his well-being, stating, "I give him everything I can because kids don't have a real childhood these days." Even seemingly safe areas, like a field of sunflowers, are not entirely free from danger, with explosives potentially present. Children are unable to roam freely, and even simple activities like playing require constant vigilance for tripwires or suspicious objects.

Vasil's Personal Mine Incident

Vasil had previously cleared mines from his own property by burning rags on top of them to detonate them. However, in October 2022, after the Russian withdrawal, he was collecting munition crates for firewood from a neighboring yard. While picking up a crate, he triggered a mine, resulting in the loss of a foot. He underwent surgery and received a prosthesis from an aid organization. Subsequently, he suffered a stroke, but his family's care enabled him to walk and work again.

Tatiana's Devastating Injury

The nightmare recurred on June 4th, Tatiana's birthday. While preparing for a barbecue with her son Vaver and his family, she went to fetch hay for their cow. She stepped on a mine, and the blast knocked her over. In shock, she crawled and saw her leg covered in blood. Her son's quick action in tying off her leg is credited with saving her life. Both Vasil and Tatiana face ongoing physical and mental recovery. Tatiana experiences pain and difficulty walking with her prosthesis, yet they remain determined to continue their way of life, finding solace and fitness in their work in the house and garden.

Vladimir's Experience and Skepticism About the Future

Across the street, Vladimir is repairing his house, which he states was deliberately destroyed by the occupiers. He describes the bathroom floor being covered in feces and a shell penetrating the floor of another room. His sister has collected over 50 mines from their property. While one sibling plans to move back into their parents' house, Vladimir expresses pessimism about the village's future, questioning who will rebuild it and what incentive there would be for people to return. He highlights the limited infrastructure, such as a weekly bus service to the city, the absence of a school, and a playground contaminated with mines. As of 2025, Kamyanka has regained electricity and cell phone reception.

Mine Clearance Operations

It is estimated that over a fifth of Ukraine's territory is mined. Clearance teams, such as the NGO SDF, are actively working to neutralize these threats. Initially, mining was done manually, but specialized machinery, like a Croatian-made device, has significantly improved efficiency and safety. This machine, operated remotely, features hydraulic hammers and cutters that destroy munitions in situ. In the past month, SDF found 16 mines, contributing to the estimated over 2 million mines planted nationwide.

Tanya's Personal Tragedy and Unwavering Attachment

Tanya, Artam's mother, recounts her experience of fleeing to western Ukraine with her husband and son during the invasion. Upon their return, they discovered their house was destroyed and her father had been killed. His remains were found in a car that had been crushed by a tank, with traces of his DNA still present. Despite the daily reminder of her father's death as she passes the wrecked car, Tanya cannot imagine living anywhere else. She describes returning to their destroyed home with her son, who found comfort in the last intact bed where she slept as a child, remarking how "nice" it was to be home, a sentiment that brought her to tears.