Our worldwide correspondent Valerie Gauriat has traveled to south-eastern Ukraine to fulfill girls who not too long ago joined the efforts to ensure the critical-known-to-year charcoal mines.
Ternivka, within the coronary heart of the large Ukrainian coal mine in Western Donbas, is essential for the nation’s vitality provide and a possible goal for Russian forces.
The oldest coal mine within the space nonetheless operates in full swing and with the assistance of an rising variety of girls, increasingly more males are mobilized.
Oksana is amongst those that maintain the nation’s first vitality line:
“I attempt to assist each the nation. This job is … arduous however it’s potential. I’m managing it. I can handle something, “he advised Euronews.
Oksana fled from her hometown of Bakhmut within the Donetsk area, below heavy Russian bombings. His father and eldest son have been killed within the assaults.
Many girls have been displaced by the conflict right here, shedding their properties and former works. Tatyana was a nanny. Irina was an accountant. Their work within the mine ensures their sustenance.
But it’s also a method to participate within the conflict effort, as Irina explains.
“It might be essential for everybody as we speak to do one thing, extra essential that I may also help. You must do greater than sit. And that is my contribution to the steadiness of our economic system and our nation. ”
Before the conflict, girls have been forbidden to work underground within the Ukrainian mines pursuant to a regulation that returned to Soviet occasions. Now they symbolize about 5% of the underground workforce on this mine. A welcome presence says that Irina’s husband, Andrey, who labored right here for a few years:
“In some fields, girls really carry out higher than males. It is nice and reassuring to know that it’s near me, it’s below my watch. Anxiety is all the time right here. While underground, you by no means know what is going on on on the floor, “mentioned Irina in Euronews.
“Whatever occurs, in each scenario, we’re mutual assist. So I really feel comfy right here. ”
Donbas’ western mines symbolize 80% of the nation’s coal manufacturing. Their seize or destruction would imply vital energy cuts all through the nation.
Look on the report of the EURONEWS worldwide correspondent Valerie Gauriat within the participant above.
