"Grenade under every pillow": occupiers mine houses and schools in Kharkiv Oblast

TUESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:51 

Mine clearing action is ongoing on the recentlKharkiv Oblast; bomb disposal experts of thy liberated territories in the northern part of e National Guard of Ukraine have defused more than a thousand of explosive objects. Russians have mined houses and schools. 

Source: Operational Command Skhid (East) of the National Guard of Ukraine

Details: The engineer teams of the National Guard are currently working on territories of the Zolochiv, Derhachiv, and Kharkiv districts, which were liberated from Russian occupation forces two weeks ago.

Makarove, Turove, Dementiivka, Udy, and Hoptivka are among the most heavily mined settlements.

There were also such explosive objects as cluster munitions fired from Smerch and Uragan multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery shells, rounds fired from grenade launchers, hand grenades, as well as anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. 

It is noted that bomb disposal experts are currently focused on clearing mines on roadways, roadsides, in residential buildings, state and public institutions, schools and kindergartens. 

Occupiers widely use various munitions and mining methods, neglecting articles of the Geneva Convention [the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons]. 

Thus, according to the National Guard’s information, Russians mined civilian residential buildings and streets in Kozacha Lopan. Guardsmen state that hand grenades have been found under almost every pillow. 

"During the process of clearing mines in the school of Makariv, a bomb disposal expert died. The school was completely mined,[including] doors, windows, classrooms, [and] a playground," explains guardsman [who goes by the alias of] "Trotyl", who leads a bomb squad.

Mines, unexploded shells, and explosive devices are extremely dangerous for civilians. However, people often ignore all warning signs and get blown up, since they walk across mined places, forests, forest belts, and dirt roads at their own risk. 

Engineers of the National Guard are working on the liberated border territories, together with units of the State Border Guard Service and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to bomb disposal experts, one day of intense combat actions means a month of mine clearing activity.

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