Found a suspicious object? What to do about explosive ordnance

Explosive ordnance does not look like a movie bomb. It can be a rusty shell in a field, a small object in the grass, or something that looks like a toy. The rules for staying safe are short. They come from what experts call explosive ordnance risk education (EORE): activities that, in the words of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), "seek to reduce the risk of injury from explosive ordnance".

The rules

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) and the Donetsk regional administration, working with the HALO Trust, give the same short rule: "Don't approach! Don't touch! Call 101!" In Switzerland the Armed Forces say "never touch, mark, report". Put together, the steps are these.

1. Stop. Touch nothing, stay calm and note where you are, as DSNS advises.
2. Warn others nearby and stop any work you are doing.
3. Go back the way you came. DSNS says to move yourself and others at least 100 metres away, along the same route, ideally an existing trail, and in single file if you are in a group. An earlier DSNS notice names about 500 metres as the optimal safe distance. When in doubt, go farther.
4. Call. Speak slowly and give the exact address and landmarks. In Ukraine DSNS says to call 101 and 102.
5. Mark the place. The Swiss Armed Forces ask people to mark the find site so that others can see it. DSNS asks you to remember the place and, if possible, keep strangers out until help arrives.

Do not move, take apart, heat or try to defuse the object. Do not cover it with soil or pour liquid on it. Do not smoke or use a lighter, and keep phones and remote controls away from it. Do not let people gather. DSNS says that only specially trained specialists may defuse explosive objects.

Why souvenirs kill

Unexploded ordnance is, in the words of UNMAS, a weapon that "fail[ed] to detonate as designed but remain[s] volatile and can kill if touched or moved". The ICRC says such munitions may go off at an unpredictable time and gives failure rates of about 1 to 40 per cent, depending on age, storage, soil and weather. The Swiss Armed Forces add that old ammunition can stay dangerous for years and must not be touched or taken along. A shell on a shelf is not a souvenir. It is a device that has not yet worked.

The main types in plain words

The ICRC lists explosive remnants of war: artillery shells, mortar shells, grenades, rockets, missiles and cluster munitions that did not explode, or were left behind unused. Improvised explosive devices may also count. Landmines are a separate group, set to go off when a person or vehicle comes close or touches them. DSNS warns that munitions can be disguised as a bag, a phone or a toy. Its rule: do not pick up anything found on the street, and teach children to use only their own belongings.

Returning residents

UNICEF says about 23 per cent of Ukraine's territory is potentially contaminated (as of April 2025) and that adolescent boys aged 14 to 17 are most affected, because they explore forests, water and abandoned positions. The ICRC has warned that snow and ice make weapons harder to see and that collecting firewood sends people into wooded areas. If you return to a house, yard or field, treat unfamiliar objects as dangerous, learn the signs and markings of hazardous areas and keep out of them. Talk to your children about the rules.

Travellers and walkers

The danger is not only in war zones. Swiss army officials say former military training grounds in the cantons of Bern, Graubünden and Valais can hold unexploded shells. In Switzerland, call the police on 117, or use the army's "Blindgänger" app. The Federal Office of Communications lists 112 (European emergency number), 117 (police), 118 (fire) and 144 (medical) as free of charge.

Numbers

Ukraine: 101 and 102, as given by DSNS. The ICRC also lists 101 for explosive hazards and 112 as the emergency line. Switzerland: 117, or 112. Numbers can change, so check the local authority's page before you travel.