A local resident stumbled upon the first pieces of ammunition while working in a field on Tsentralna Street. Explosive ordnance disposal experts from the State Emergency Service thoroughly searched the area with metal detectors, discovered an entire arsenal buried underground, and destroyed it at a special disposal site.
In the Uzhhorod district, a pyrotechnics team from the Special-Purpose Emergency Rescue Unit neutralized a dangerous find dating back to World War II. In the village of Verkhovyna-Bystra, seven large-caliber artillery shells were discovered directly on a private property; they had been buried in the ground for over eight decades.
The Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast reported on the disposal of the munitions.
A villager’s exemplary vigilance and the work of the bomb disposal experts
The incident occurred on Tsentralna Street while the woman was performing routine yard work:
- Initial discovery: While tending to her vegetable garden, a local woman noticed two cylindrical metal objects with signs of long-term corrosion that resembled explosives. The woman acted with the utmost caution: she did not touch the suspicious objects, stopped all work, and immediately called the emergency hotline “101”;
- Site inspection: Bomb disposal experts from the State Emergency Service of Transcarpathia, who arrived promptly at the scene, inspected the surrounding area using deep-penetrating metal detectors. During a localized excavation, specialists discovered five more similar munitions beneath a layer of soil;
- Results of the recovery: a total of seven 122-mm artillery shells from World War II were recovered from the property;
- Destruction: The explosive devices were loaded into a special pyrotechnic vehicle, transported to a specially equipped detonation site, and safely destroyed.
Safety Reminder: What to Do If You Find Explosive Objects
“Zakarpattia Visnyk,” in collaboration with rescue service specialists, urges residents of the region to strictly adhere to basic mine safety rules during excavation, agricultural, or construction work:
- No contact: If you discover any suspicious object, it is strictly forbidden to approach, touch, pick up, dismantle, throw, or heat it;
- Mark the area: if possible without approaching it, mark the spot with a conspicuous stick or tape, stop all work in the vicinity, and retreat along the same path to a safe distance (at least 100 meters);
- Call for help: Immediately call the emergency services at 101 or 102.
Remember: ammunition that has been buried in damp soil for decades has unstable detonators and poses a deadly threat even from the slightest mechanical vibration.
Source: Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast.
