Every day, the Ukrainian military does everything possible to raise the yellow-blue flag again over as many occupied settlements as possible. As soon as the news of regaining control of a city appears, the population which was forced to flee the enemy in other regions of the country or even abroad rushes back to it. But even after the departure of the Russian army, the settlement remains a dangerous place for everyone who lives there. The charitable foundation “Pryame Vklyuchennya” explains why.

Where does the danger lurk?

Before leaving Ukrainian territories, Russian troops usually do everything they can to prevent the use of critical infrastructure. In addition, explosive devices can be found literally everywhere: tripwires, mines, shells, etc. The occupiers hide them in civilian apartments, on the roadside, in cars, and bury them in gardens - all in order to cause as much damage as possible and intimidate Ukrainians.

Rescuers say that even after the initial clearing of the de-occupied area by pyrotechnics, safety rules must be strictly followed. Here are some of them:

  • Move only on concrete and asphalt roads;
  • Do not touch suspicious objects, especially weapons;
  • Do not approach abandoned buildings;
  • Do not go into forests, fields, forest belts, and gardens.

How to track potentially mined areas?

Few people know, but back in May of last year, with the assistance of the State Emergency Service, the "Demining Ukraine" application was created, where you can track dangerous areas online and report explosive findings. The app informs the user about entering a danger zone if the smartphone geolocation is turned on.

Other safety rules

Often, enemy forces leave a certain part of their personnel for internal reconnaissance after announcing their retreat from the region. These people dress up in everyday clothes and pretend to be locals or IDPs from other territories. They are dangerous at least because they have weapons and are in a panic. Do not provoke such people under any circumstances. The detection of them is the responsibility of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Your task is to always carry your passport with you in order not to slow down the process of searching for the enemy. Also, remember that our military wears a yellow or blue ribbon on their arm.

If you are just planning to return to the recently de-occupied territories, you should not rush. There is a high probability that the enemy will continue to terrorize the local population and resort to daily rocket attacks. Right now, this is happening in Kherson, which was liberated in November. The best option is to stay where you are now (provided it is safer).

Finally, limit your contact with strangers. Even if you think the person does not pose a threat, do not tell him/her anything about the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the people in their ranks, or the locations of military units.

Follow these simple safety rules and tell your loved ones about them!