Ukraine faces a severe landmine contamination crisis following more than three years of war with Russia, with an estimated 139,000 square kilometers—approximately 23% of its territory—affected by mines and unexploded ordnance. This area exceeds the size of Greece and poses a major threat to civilian safety and recovery efforts. Despite the efforts of professional deminers, the scale of contamination has compelled many local residents, such as Larisa Sysenko and her husband Viktor in Kamyanka, eastern Ukraine, to undertake demining themselves using rudimentary tools like rakes. The extensive use of artillery barrages, the largest since World War II, has left millions of tons of unexploded munitions across Ukrainian soil. According to the United Nations, Ukraine’s soil is among the most heavily contaminated worldwide. Meanwhile, Syria continues to grapple with a longstanding landmine crisis after 14 years of conflict, with estimates suggesting more than 300,000 mines remain. Most of these mines were planted by the Assad regime's military and manufactured by Russia, while other explosive remnants come from Islamic State and Kurdish forces. The widespread contamination in Syria presents ongoing challenges for making urban and rural areas safe again. Lebanon is also dealing with post-conflict debris clearance following Israeli attacks, highlighting regional struggles with war-related land contamination.