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A Week in Ukraine

An ICRC worker standing in front of a marked truck

To mark International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, Anna – who works with the ICRC in Ukraine - took over the UK and Ireland X account, offering a glimpse into the work of the weapon contamination team in one of the most mined countries on Earth.

My name is Anna, and I’m a content producer with the International Committee of the Red Cross. I have been with the ICRC for two years, filming and producing stories about our work and the communities we support in Ukraine, where millions of people have been affected by the ongoing conflict.

The photo above was taken shortly after I joined the ICRC, during a content-gathering trip in Kherson.

Tens of thousands of square kilometres in Ukraine have been affected by fighting and mines. Mines, unexploded mortar shells, grenades, and missiles all pose serious threats to civilians even after the guns fall silent.

That’s why the ICRC is supporting efforts to clear mines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs). In 2024, we donated 174,366 medical and technical items, such as mine risk awareness signs, marking tape, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) kits to facilitate humanitarian demining activities.

Kamianka is one of many villages that has been badly damaged by the fighting and could be littered with UXOs. I was there recently, filming the extent of the destruction. 


In a country so deeply affected by armed conflict, I hear many moving stories from the individuals we support, including those injured by explosives. The video below is one of those stories - from a recent visit to our physical rehabilitation project in Kharkiv.

Millions of people have been displaced in Ukraine, and humanitarian needs are immense. Many people have endured the impact of conflict even before the escalation in 2022. 

During conflicts, there are other dangers that can linger long after the fighting ends. In addition to dealing with landmines, the ICRC’s weapon contamination unit trains emergency responders on how to manage chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear contamination (CBRN). 

Tragically, children suffer disproportionately from landmines and UXOs.

A crucial part of minimising the danger to them and their families is to educate the community about safe practices and risk awareness. In partnership with organisations such as the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, we trained 5,595 people last year, helping them to stay safe in areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance. This can involve sharing mine safety information with communities, teaching everyone from schoolchildren to municipal workers about how to identify different mines and explosive ordnance as well as the dangers associated with them.

However, when teaching children, sometimes we need to be creative. We recently created a comic book to convey these important messages in an accessible and informative way. 

A student reading the comic book on landmine and UXO risk awareness
A student reading the comic book on landmine and UXO risk awareness

Even if the fighting stops, civilians in Ukraine will continue to be impacted by the remnants of conflict. That’s why the ICRC’s efforts are so important, to help protect civilians from the dangers of mines and UXOs. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our work, and that you have a clearer understanding of what we do here.

Thank you for reading!