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"ITAR-TASS"
March, 18th 2008
A mine explosion in the Urus-Martan region of Chechnya hurt an 18-year-old native, a source at the Chechen Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass.
The teenager was collecting wild leek when the mine went off. His leg was injured.
According to the Office of the Chechen Human Rights Ombudsman, mines and dud munitions have hurt over 3,000 people, including 573 women (100 of them are dead), 2,494 men (604 dead) and 754 children (131 dead).
Republican authorities posted reports of district administrations this February, which said that Chechnya needed demining works on 24,500 hectares. It costs 500,000 – 600,000 rubles to demine one hectare of land.
Related documents are being drafted. They will soon be presented to the State Duma Security Committee.
Last year Defense Ministry sappers unarmed about 30,000 munitions in Chechnya. The work plan for this year is also large, Engineering Forces Commander Col. Gen. Nikolai Serdtsev said at the beginning of the year. “We must demine 1,000 hectares of land. The period of the fulfillment of this mission depends on the assigned forces and funds,” he said. “For instance, it would take several dozens of years to demine pastures and farmland by one battalion alone in line with international standards.”
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