How to avoid mortal danger: Dnipropetrovsk Region media workers attend training on mine and explosive safety and tactical medical care

Contamination of the territory of Ukraine with explosive objects (EO) is currently one of the most acute problems that threatens not only the ecology and economy of the state but also people’s lives. Landmines, drones, grenades – these and other EOs, disguised in fields, on roads, in forests, in front-line residential areas, and occupied territories, pose a mortal danger. What to do in case of injury and bleeding to journalists who risk their lives to show the world the faces of Russian aggression? What to pay attention to? Media workers learned about this during the training called Mine and Explosive Safety and Medical Care for Media Representatives, which was held in the premises of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration. The training was conducted by an experienced team of soldiers of the engineer-sapper platoon under the leadership of their commander, the ambassador of the TITANY.UA project, Mykola Mykhailets.

“The enemy is very strong. But we are alive because we never underestimate him. Everything we do, we do with great caution. Our country is one of the most mined countries in the world, the complete demining of which, under conditions of a ceasefire, can take more than 80 years. And journalists who travel to front-line territories encounter this a lot, – noted Mykola Mykhailets.

The participants in the training learned about the types of explosive objects. In particular, they examined the mechanisms of action and the consequences of hitting anti-vehicle, anti-personnel and special mines. They found out the peculiarities of the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are used both for reconnaissance, cargo delivery, fire adjustment, etc., and for remote mining of territories.

Particular attention was paid to booby traps – explosive devices, often disguised as everyday objects, that can be located anywhere: in buildings, transport, equipment, and even the bodies of the dead. The team explained how to recognize suspicious objects and what rules should be followed if they are discovered.

The training participants also mastered tactical medicine skills: how to quickly stop bleeding, apply a tourniquet, and provide first aid to the wounded in extreme conditions. The skills of applying a tourniquet were worked out in practice, trying to perform the necessary actions in the minimum amount of time.

“Any services should have tourniquets,” said Iryna Mironova, the head of the Ukrainian Brotherhood non-governmental organization. “I believe this is an obligation – both for the military, who are required by statute to have three tourniquets and for journalists. This also applies to individual first aid kits.

The issue of journalist safety is one of the priority areas of the Dnipro Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU).

“We constantly organize safety training sessions for media workers, involve experts who talk about the rules of business trips to the combat zone, and share advice on personal protective equipment, psychological support, and first aid. Today, the issue of mine safety, unfortunately, is relevant, especially for those journalists who work in front-line areas,” noted the coordinator of the JSC, Nataliya Nazarova.

How to protect yourself?

1. Carefully inspect the area to avoid suspicious objects.
2. Do not approach or touch if you see an unknown object.
3. Do not pick up abandoned things. The enemy often leaves booby traps in equipment, equipment, or even in seemingly safe objects.
4. Drive only on proven roads, do not go to the side of the road, do not enter forest belts, and pay attention to signs that indicate a mined area.
5. If you find a suspicious object, immediately report it to the police and SESS.
6. Always carry an individual first aid kit with you.
7. To stop bleeding, apply a tourniquet (or use other available items) as high as possible from the wound; be sure to record the time of application.
8. Act quickly because, in a critical situation, every second matters.

The network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, implemented in collaboration with the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO and with the support of the People of Japan. Our primary goal is to assist media professionals working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers are active in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. The project is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to support the Safety of Journalists and Freedom of Expression in Ukraine.

Call the Dnipro JSC at 050 919 8479 (Nataliya Nazarova, the coordinator of the Dnipro JSC). The Center’s address is 8 Starokozatska Street.

Liana Okhrymenko, Dnipro JSC

Photo and video by Yaroslav Saveliiev