Russian strike on Danish demining group in Chernihiv Oblast kills 2, injures 8
A Russian missile struck a Danish humanitarian demining group in Chernihiv Oblast on Sept. 4, killing two and injuring eight people, the Danish Refugee Council reported.
"It is with profound sadness that the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) confirms that one of our humanitarian demining sites in Ukraine was struck by a missile earlier today. The attack claimed the lives of two Ukrainian colleagues and left eight others injured," the Danish Refugee Council wrote on Facebook.
The nonprofit called the strike a serious violation of the international humanitarian law.
"At the time of the incident, DRC teams were conducting purely civilian humanitarian activities—working to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war in order to protect communities and enable safe access to essential infrastructure, farmland, and homes," the organization wrote.
Ukraine's northern Chernihiv Oblast borders both Russia and Belarus. Part of the region was occupied by Russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Since its liberation in April 2022, Chernihiv Oblast has faced frequent attacks due to its proximity to Russia.
The strike took place in the Kyselivska community, according to Viacheslav Chaus, the governor of Chernihiv Oblast.
"First, Russians mined (Chernihiv) Oblast with explosives and mines. Now, they are killing people, civilians, who are risking their lives to clean up our land from the consequences of the Russian invasion," Chaus wrote on Telegram.
"Another act of senseless terror from the Russian Federation — an attack on those who help eliminate the consequences of the war," he added in another post.
The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, condemned the attack, saying that Russia is once again violating fundamental norms of international law.
"This is yet another cynical crime. Attacking people who are doing humanitarian work means deliberately undermining humanitarian activities. The world should react to this," he said.
As of March 2025, Ukraine’s mine-affected land spanned an estimated 139,000 square kilometers — or 23% of its territory — covering more ground than all of Greece and posing an immense threat to civilian life and recovery efforts.
The Danish Refugee Council said it "remains committed to its mission of protecting people affected by conflict and displacement in Ukraine."
"Despite the risks and challenges, our demining teams undertake this vital work to prevent further loss of life from landmines and unexploded ordnance," the nonprofit wrote.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, friends, and colleagues of those we lost today."
