KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE, Apr 30 — On April 29, at 6:11 p.m., a mine explosion injured a 59-year-old man in the forest belt of Velyki Prokhody village, Derhachi community, reported Oleh Syniehubov, the head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration.

The man is in the hospital with a mine-blast injury to his left hand and shin.

According to Oleh Syniehubov, the explosion of a PFM-1 “Petal” mine injured the man. Russians often use this anti-personnel landmine that is triggered by pressure. It is very dangerous because it can be disguised as grass or foliage.

As reported by the press service of the State Emergency Service in the Kharkiv Oblast and Oleh Syniehubov, on April 28, at 8:30 p.m., a 48-year-old man was injured by a mine explosion in his yard in the village of Bairak, Balakiliia community. The man is hospitalized with an explosive injury to his right eye.

Currently, more than 570,000 hectares of land in the Kharkiv region need to be inspected for mines and explosive devices after the Russian occupation. About 1.2 million hectares are considered to be contaminated. According to Oleh Syniehubov, 138 sapper teams are working on demining the region — and, to accelerate the process, another 300 are needed.

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, 289 people, including 15 children, have been killed by explosives since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Read our photo story from Velyki Prokhody: “I’ve pulled myself from under a piece of rubble.”