Ukraine: Clearing the path and restoring safety in the North

The road between Dorohynka and Bakayivka, where Olena and her team are currently demining, was once a crucial agricultural route. Now, it’s a hazardous stretch, scattered with hidden dangers, a stark reminder of the fierce battles that took place here.

Olena, now a Demining Team Leader with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), didn’t always work in such a field. Before joining the demining effort, she owned a women’s clothing shop in Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast. But in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to take her life in a new direction.

She enrolled in a demining course, passed her exams, and earned her certification, with the aim of helping clear her region, which has been strewn with UXO since the conflict first broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

In March 2022, as the conflict worsened, Olena was forced to flee her hometown.

"My entire life was in Severodonetsk," she remembers. "I left on 1 March 2022 and have never returned."

Though leaving was difficult, Olena quickly realised that her newly acquired skills could make a significant difference. Since then, she has fully committed herself to demining, working to make dangerous areas safe again and giving communities the chance to rebuild. Olena has no regrets about her decision and remains dedicated to her mission, helping to restore safety and hope to her country.

Facing daily challenges

Every day presents fresh challenges for Olena and her team. The terrain is tough, and hidden explosives are ever-present.

Weather conditions — whether too hot or too wet — often hinder progress, and equipment can be disrupted by overhead power lines or underground pipelines. Yet, despite these difficulties, the deminers press on, determined to clear every square metre of land.

Currently working in Chernihiv Oblast in northern Ukraine, DRC teams are clearing two large areas covering a total of 22 hectares.

One site near Bilmachivka is believed to contain landmines, while another near Bakayivka, a former battleground, has revealed various unexploded devices buried beneath the soil.

Olena’s team uses a method called Manual Mine Clearance (MMC), with detectors specifically calibrated to detect landmines.

“We check both the road and the roadside,” Olena explains.

“These are the most dangerous areas when it comes to landmines.”

Once surface threats have been cleared, the team moves on to deeper detection methods using specialised equipment to ensure the area is entirely safe.

Her team consists of her, a senior deminer, five deminers, a paramedic, and an ambulance driver.

They function like a well-coordinated unit, following strict safety protocols with whistle signals to guide their every move: two long blasts to start, one long and one short for a break, and ten short whistles in case of emergency.

The team's efforts have reduced the travel distance between villages by 30 to 40 kilometres, allowing local people to once again use the route safely.

Thanks to their work, funded by the U.S. State Department's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, over 587 people now have safe access to farmland, helping local farmers begin to reclaim their livelihoods.

Breaking barriers, reclaiming lives

Olena’s journey into mine action also represents a break from traditional gender roles.

“Many people don’t realise what women are capable of in this field,” she notes.

“There’s a stereotype that demining requires military experience, but that’s not true. I had none, and here I am, leading a team.”

Proud of the women working alongside her, Olena adds, “In this work, everyone is equal.”

Despite this, gender norms still pose challenges for women in Ukraine’s mine action sector. At DRC Ukraine, women make up nearly 30% of the demining workforce, but ingrained stereotypes continue to shape the opportunities available to them. According to a recent report, many believe military experience is necessary, and women often face additional societal barriers.

“But until you try it yourself, you don’t realise these are just myths,” Olena says.

“We need to do more to break these misconceptions and encourage more women to join.”

Olena herself has faced personal challenges along the way. Earlier this year, she attended an International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) Level 3 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD-3) course in Denmark, where the instruction was entirely in English.

“I’m still learning the language, so it was difficult,” she admits.

“I was worried — would I be able to understand everything?” But, as with everything else, Olena met the challenge head-on.

“If you want to do it, you have to try,” she says.

Looking ahead, Olena is filled with hope.

“I never imagined I would be doing this,” she says, “but now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”