UKRAINE: The demining dog helping kids stay safe in the world’s most heavily mined country

Chivas the demining dog has a rapt audience when he takes part in mine safety awareness sessions in Ukraine, where one in every 10 landmine casualties is a child. Crossing his paws to indicate danger, Chivas helps kids stay safe in the world’s most heavily mined country.

Trained to sniff out the vapors from explosive devices, the six-year-old German Spitz participates in sessions run by Save the Children’s partner organization, Ukrainian Deminers Association, in Kharkiv, a frontline area hard hit during four years of full-scale war.

During these sessions, Chivas helps children learn safety measures such as refraining from touching unfamiliar objects and checking spaces. Chivas crosses his paws when he wants to signal danger – and teaches children to make the same gesture with their hands.

Children say that having a dog present makes the sessions more enjoyable and helps them better absorb important safety messages.

“I enjoyed having Chivas at the session. It gave me peace and tranquility. It was more interesting to listen to the trainers, so it was easier to remember,” says Tetiana*, 17, who participated in the training.

Since the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, at least 1,660 civilians have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) - including 179 children, according to the UN.¹

Sonia Khush, Save the Children country director in Ukraine, said:

"It is horrifying to think that a child engaged in the innocent act of play could risk picking up part of an unexploded munition or have a mine explode beneath them which may cause permanent, life-changing injuries, or death. But this is the constant, deadly threat that children in Ukraine are exposed to every time they go out and play.

“Landmines do not discriminate between a child or a soldier – their use violates international law, poses a grave risk to children, and hampers the ability to transport humanitarian aid to where it is needed most. Save the Children is calling on parties to the conflict to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.”

Viktoriia, a mine awareness trainer and Chivas’ owner, said:

“Chivas helps establish a connection with children, easing tension and reducing fear around the topic of mine safety. The dog’s presence significantly increases children’s attention and engagement. They respond more actively, remember the rules better, and feel more confident asking follow-up questions. Through interaction with Chivas, a complex and distressing topic is presented in a gentler way, without unnecessary stress, allowing children to absorb the information more quickly and effectively.”

Mine detection dogs (MDDs), who are much more efficient than humans at detecting landmines and UXO, are used extensively in Ukraine where about 23% of land is potentially contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.²

Save the Children began running mine awareness education in partnership with the Ukrainian Deminers Association in Ukraine in 2022 to help protect children and their caregivers from the dangers of explosive contamination. The project reaches nearly 90,000 people, including over 67,000 children, across 10 regions – the majority of which are located along the frontline. The projects focus on practical and child-friendly ways to educate children about landmines and unexploded ordnance, such as interactive board games, a dedicated online platform for children aged from aged 6-18 years old. The workshops ensure they are accessible by providing Braille brochures for children with visual impairments and video lessons with sign language interpretation.

Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014. On 24 February 2022, the children’s rights agency dramatically scaled up its operations, supporting children and their families with access to essential supplies and services. Save the Children has reached over 4.7 million people – including around 1.9 million children – in Ukraine in the last four years.

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NOTES:

[1] Data provided by UN OHCHR covering 24 February 2022 to 31 December 2025.

[2] https://www.undp.org/european-union/stories/ukraine-tackling-mine-action-all-sides-make-land-safe-again

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