The long-time battle between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing at the moment. With many casualties and property damages recorded, no one could imagine the dire fate that the affected civilians experienced.
When Vladimir Putin's troops invaded Ukraine, some residents knew what would happen next. Because of this, some people have fled from war-ravaged zones to avoid injuries and death.
Russian soldiers have their own way of taking advantage of the situation. Some reportedly looted groceries from a store, while others made some houses their base.
However, out of all of these things, the worst reality that Ukrainians have to face daily is how they can survive around an area with landmines.
How Russia Transforms Ukraine into a Landmine Capital
Living in a landmine-infested area can result in "psychological scarring," according to research.
Just imagine how you live a life with bombs and landmines surrounding you. It's hard to tell how a person manages to thrive, given the harsh circumstances.
For instance, there's a case where a husband and his wife are searching for mushrooms to eat. Little did they know that the next second would change their lives forever.
According to WIRED's report, the story of Luba, 66 is only one example of why Ukrainians have a ticking time bomb in their lifetime. When she stepped on the landmine, her feet got injured. She also sustained a long gash that created a line along her stomach.
Because of a very dangerous situation, the paramedics needed to walk carefully toward the victim. They need to reach her without stepping into another landmine. Unfortunately, Luba was declared dead on arrival before she reached the hospital for treatment.
According to Mark Hiznay, the Human Rights Watch associate director, Russians use this technique to "punish the population." Usually, landmines and booby traps are only used to catch unaware enemies without using any guns or weapons. However, what's happening is that they strip the hope of the civilians to survive during a particular period.
WIRED's report also mentioned that about 30% of the total area of Ukraine has a lot of explosives and other traps. These are planted to harm people who are planning to escape.
Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Crimea Bridge Reopens After Massive Explosion Kills 3
Ukrainians Suffer From Psychological Conditions
Because living in bomb-filled sites is too difficult, the chances of survival for the residents could decrease every day. While others have already left their houses to seek safer areas, some people cannot just do that easily.
Ruth Bottomley, a researcher, specializing in the study of mine-filled places, says that some people have already grown very attached to their homeland.
Despite the possibility of dying in a single explosion, some Ukrainians still return to these run-down buildings.
According to research, people could develop "psychological scarring" if they live in a place where explosives commonly exist.
The term "psychological scarring" can also refer to the mental or emotional trauma that a person acquires from a very distressing situation, which in this case is war.
To make it worse, some people who survived landmine explosions reportedly got depressed. Some developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety.
To help them cope with the psychological torture, some organizations are there to ease up their heavy feeling.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reports that Putin has vowed to fulfill the country's promise to achieve a " special military operation" in the neighboring country. The announcement came following the recent departure of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the US.
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