Ukrainians learn mine clearing skills from Cambodian experts

By SOPHENG CHEANG and DAVID RISING
Associated Press

PREYTOTOEUNG, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian experts, whose country has the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s most contaminated by landmines, walked a group of Ukrainian soldiers through a minefield being actively cleared, hoping their decades of experience would help the Europeans in their own efforts to remove Russian mines at home. Wearing protective body armor, helmets and visors, the group of 15 Ukrainians were guided Thursday along cleared routes through the former battlefield in northwestern Battambang province by trainers with the Cambodian Mine Action Center, a government agency that oversees the clearing of land mines and unexploded ordnance in the country.