Prince Harry has travelled to the city of Bucha in Ukraine, where thousands of landmines have been left behind by Russian forces after a deadly massacre. The Duke of Sussex has been touring Ukraine, meeting those affected by the ongoing war and speaking with politicians at a conference in Kyiv.
Visit to Bucha
On the second day of his trip, Harry arrived in Bucha, where hundreds of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war were killed in a massacre in April 2022, when Russian forces withdrew. After the Russian soldiers left, hundreds of unexploded landmines remained, rendering the city unsafe for civilians. A massive clean-up operation began, with Harry telling ITV News: "The clean-up that is going to be needed here will go well into the next two, three, even four decades."
New Technology for Demining
To clear the landmines, Ukrainian forces rapidly developed new technologies to counter modern warfare. In Bucha, Harry tested some of these innovations, including a robotic dog named Spot and AI-powered drones operated via remote control and VR goggles.
Speaking with ITV News, Harry praised the work of the HALO Trust and drew parallels between his visit and Princess Diana's landmine walk in Angola. He said: "What HALO Trust is doing is absolutely incredible work. It's sad, very, very sad because nearly 30 years ago, my mother was in Angola, here we are again in a new conflict."
Harry walked across a landmine field wearing only a protective vest with the HALO Trust logo. Ukraine is now the HALO Trust's largest operation worldwide, as the charity works tirelessly to make the area safe.
Harry added: "It's amazing to see technology transform the work of the HALO Trust—making mine clearance smarter, faster and safer. When my mother visited Angola nearly thirty years ago, de-miners carried out their work on their hands and knees to uncover hidden explosives. Now they're also using drones, AI and robots for greater precision and protection. This isn't just progress — it's lifesaving."
Echoes of Princess Diana
The Duke of Sussex has walked across landmine fields before, travelling to Angola last year to follow in his mother's footsteps. In July 2025, Harry walked through a landmine corridor, just as Princess Diana did in 1997, months before her death. Angola was devastated by a 27-year civil war ending in 2002, but millions of landmines still threaten locals and wildlife.
Call to Putin
During his first day in Ukraine, Harry directly addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kyiv Security Forum, saying: "President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing. There is still a moment – now – to stop this war, to prevent further suffering for Ukrainians and Russians alike, and to choose a different course."
He condemned "systematic war crimes" and the "chilling" treatment of Ukrainian children, stating: "Across occupied territories, there is mounting, documented evidence of systematic war crimes: deliberate attacks on civilians, mass killings, torture, sexual violence, and the forced deportation of entire populations. Under international law, the forcible transfer of children from one national group to another is not just a war crime – it can constitute an act of genocide when carried out with intent to destroy a people's identity. This is not collateral damage. This is not the chaos of war spilling over. This is organised, systematic, intentional, and designed to endure long after the fighting stops."
