Women deminers step in to clear up Ukrainian land

AFP English

Deminer Tetiana Shpak crouches down in a once tranquil poppy-strewn field near the southern Ukrainian city of Snigurivka, now littered with Russian mines. Just a few years ago, this scene would have been impossible -- until 2018, women were banned from becoming deminers, a profession long considered too dangerous for them. But the Russian invasion in February 2022 changed that. More women like her are joining mine-clearance teams, where they now account for 30 percent of personnel, according to official data.

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00:30I didn't think then that my path would lead me here, but unfortunately I wanted to be useful.

00:42In the first days of the war, all the residents of the city worked for the fortification,

00:46so that they would not go here, God forbid, not to get into occupation.

00:49We worked very friendly, and in the future it somehow developed naturally.

01:00The population does not perceive us as young girls who work in demining,

01:15they think what it is, but we treat this work with inspiration,

01:22we are aware of all the dangers of this work, but we are responsible,

01:27we work according to the standards of the operational procedures.

01:32It happens that a husband comes from a girl, she has a child,

01:53they also want to go and serve, but they understand that this work is safer.

02:00Despite the fact that we are on a minefield, this work is safe if everything is done correctly.

02:05At first, everyone was very worried, but then they realized that in our country,

02:32at the moment, we need this, and only we can do it.

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