Warning sign about mines from the occupied region in eastern Ukraine ´Danger mines´

Following the end of the 20th century, some former Soviet republics have become victims of the geopolitical aspirations of neighbouring Russia. Regional armed tensions and ‘frozen conflicts’ have become a reality in Europe. The Russo-Georgian war in 2008, the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, the conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border crisis that erupted into a short war in 2022 have again shaken our expectations of being able to cohabit peacefully. In February 2022, Russia launched an illegal military invasion of Ukraine on the pretext of responding to Ukraine’s aspirations to move closer to NATO and the EU. Russia unsettled the West by threatening the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons. Some experts warned that this situation had moved the world closer than ever before to a third world war. Ukrainians have endured profound trauma, with many losing their lives or homes in this conflict. Beyond the areas of active combat, regions no longer on the front line have remained hazardous due to landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Inscription Стоп міни! Danger Mines! Translation: Stop, mines