Ukraine: “We’re not just clearing away metal, we’re clearing away fear” — how demining is bringing life back to communities

To address this, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), with the generous financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, is implementing a comprehensive humanitarian mine action project. The initiative focuses on the full land-release cycle, transforming hazardous ‘grey zones’ back into safe, productive assets for local communities.

This approach includes a wide range of activities — from protection and grants for agricultural development to the direct clearance of contaminated land.

Thanks to the project, a team of deminers has been able to continue their work in the Kharkiv Oblast. Step by step, the team has already  searched more than 60,000 square metres and cleared the area of explosive ordnance.

However, much work remains to be done. The team has now begun operations at a new site in the village of Biskvitne, in the Vilkhivska hromada. The site lies next to a farm, but the surrounding fields cannot be cultivated, and livestock cannot be grazed there. The danger is impossible to miss — a fragment of a rocket still protrudes from the ground.

A peaceful village became a war zone

When Biskvitne was occupied by the Russian Federation armed forces in the spring of 2022, it became a frontline area.

What was once an ordinary village in the Kharkiv Oblast suddenly found itself at the centre of hostilities worthy of an action movie. Residents who remained in their homes recall heavy shelling, including attacks involving cluster munitions. Some houses were destroyed by bombs.

A nearby farm was used by Russian troops as a military position and repeatedly came under fire. Residents even say they witnessed a Russian helicopter being shot down.

As a result, the fields that once formed the economic backbone of the community have become wasteland, overgrown with weeds. Residents remember seeing piles of ammunition, while updated satellite images reveal craters from explosions — scars across the landscape resembling smallpox marks.

From 3D models of houses to a metal detector

Now, in the very fields where crops once grew, and livestock once grazed, deminers are at work. Among them is 25-year-old Matvii.

He once designed villas in Kyiv Oblast, modernised railway stations in Poland, a music hall in Finland, and created 3D models of large school complexes in the United States. His world revolved around precise calculations, reinforced concrete, and architectural aesthetics.

Today, his ‘projects’ look very different — they are the mine-contaminated fields of the Kharkiv Oblast. Originally from Kharkiv, the new job means a lot for him.

He entered the demining sector on the recommendation of his father. After completing a five-week training, he began working in the field, where he gradually adapted to the profession with support from his team leader and more experienced colleagues, building his skills over time and learning how different conditions, including seasonal changes, affect the work.

Now, every working morning begins with a strict safety briefing: routes, markings, and rules of conduct. Here, as in engineering, there is no room for miscalculation — the cost of a mistake can be devastating.

In the fields of Vilkhivska hromada, his team uncovers ‘souvenirs’ from different eras: from Second World War shells to modern cluster munitions and grenades.

The team expects to complete clearance of the site by autumn 2026. And while success is often measured in numbers, for the residents of Vilkhivska hromada, it means something much simpler — the chance to safely return to their fields.

Living with invisible threats — a new reality for the community

The demining site in Biskvitne covers over 230,300 square metres and, once cleared, will enable nearly 100 people to safely use the area and create new opportunities for employment, while also contributing to broader efforts in the area, where other DRC teams are working across several hazardous sites under different funding streams to reduce risks and support the safe return and use of land.

In communities contaminated by explosive ordnance, even ordinary daily activities can become life-threatening. Yet despite the obvious danger, people sometimes ignore the risks.

“Recently, a man went to collect firewood because he had nothing to heat his home with during winter, and an explosion blew off his leg. Children, too, often ignore the risks. There is a ravine where there is a munitions dump, and children use it as a slide,” says Matvii with an anxiety in his voice. “It should not be like this”.

Thanks to support from the Netherlands, he is helping transform these dangerous ‘grey zones’ into farmland — or simply into places where children can play safely again.

At the same time, the DRC continues its efforts to raise awareness of the risks within communities by holding information sessions and distributing safety materials. Moreover, under the project, DRC offers tailored support for explosive ordnance survivors, which may include case management, psychosocial assistance, legal aid, or targeted cash aid to overcome immediate barriers or access-related challenges.

When asked what motivates Matvii to leave behind a comfortable office and work with international clients in favour of a heavy apron and long days under the sun and wind, he answers firmly: “People need to feel supported. When they see us working in the fields, they realise that their community has not been abandoned. That life goes on. We’re not just clearing away metal — we’re clearing away fear.”