Six Ukrainians are trained to clear minefields in Kosovo

Ukrainian women are attending a demining training in Kosovo, with the aim of returning to their homeland and helping to clear minefields, after the withdrawal of the Russian Army from the northern parts. They have emphasized that the experience and training from MAT Kosova in Peja will be decisive for their work in Ukraine

Six women from Ukraine have begun demining training in Kosovo with the aim of disposing of explosive devices in their war-torn country.

They constitute the first group of Ukrainian deminers who are being trained by MAT Kosova, part of the Malta-based PCM Group of companies.

The training is being done in Peja.

Anastasiia Minchukova, 20 years old, is one of those who is following the training. She said that in Ukraine there is a "great demand for people who know how to demine".

"There is a great demand in Ukraine for people who know how to carry out demining, because the war will end soon. We believe there will be a lot of work to do. I think we will absolutely be useful", she emphasized to the Associated Press news agency.

She added that she believes that the training will be decisive for her work in her homeland.

"What am I missing the most? Peace. I'm dreaming of peace, of sleeping in my own bed without worrying about going to bomb shelters all the time. We believe there is much work to be done. I think I will be absolutely useful," she said.

One of the instructors of the group is Artur Tigani. He is teaching them in practice how to dispose of unexploded ordnance. And there will be plenty of them in their country after the end of the war.

Tigani has Kosovo's experience with mines.

"It's still fresh in our memories, even though it's been about 23 years. The memories are still fresh, the difficulties when we started clearing mines in Kosovo. So the training center is built on our experience and it is like first-hand experience", the demining instructor emphasized.

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but has withdrawn from some parts, leaving mined areas behind.

Among the six Ukrainian women who are being trained to clear minefields in their country is the mother of three, Yuliia Katelik, 38 years old from Kramatorsk.

"As a mother, I understand that there is a problem and it is quite serious, especially for children. Now we are faced with a problem of high contamination with different types of explosive devices", she emphasized.

Clearing minefields will be one of the main challenges for Ukraine.