On the territory of Slovenia, there are still many remnants of a wide variety of unexploded ordnance (UXO), such as hand grenades, grenades, various types of ammunition for infantry weapons, lighters, anti-personnel and anti-armor mines and aerial bombs from the First and Second World Wars.
What is the best thing to do if you encounter them? We present you some important advice.
Important advice for casual finders and amateur collectors
Amateur collectors or persons deliberately searching for explosive ordnance - remnants of World War I and II - are warned not to do so, as the manipulation of such ordnance is extremely dangerous, resulting in injury and death. Likewise, amateur collectors should not take UXO home and, despite the possible belief that they have sufficient knowledge and experience, should not attempt to tamper with them.
Amateur collectors and casual finders are further advised that if they find UXO or objects suspected of being UXO, they should not approach them, mark the location of the find, move away from the find at an appropriate distance along the route of arrival, and immediately notify 113 or 112.
The location of the NUS will be properly secured by the police and, with appropriate precautions, such an ordnance will either be destroyed on site or taken to an appropriate place for destruction.
Citizens are also advised not to bring UXO to the police station, as doing so can endanger both themselves and the environment.
Due to inadequate handling of UXO in recent years quite a few tragic cases
In the past, due to improper handling of these dangerous agents, several accidents have occurred, resulting in serious injuries or even death.
Several tragic cases in recent years also show the extreme danger of UXO. In 2018, we dealt with the death of a citizen in the area of the Police Directorate Novo mesto, who brought home a grenade and wanted to deactivate it. In the area of the Police Directorate Nova Gorica, in January 2021, we dealt with the death of a citizen who was blown up by a grenade while trying to deactivate it. In March 2021, an explosive product exploded in the hand of a citizen in the Postojna region during dismantling; the man died due to serious injuries.
A real tragedy could also have occurred in July 2017, in Vurberk, when a 250-kilogram aerial bomb (in the photo) could have exploded.
A citizen in the company of his children found the bomb, dug it up and recklessly drove it into his own backyard, but experts managed to defuse it in time to prevent massive damage to people and property. In January 2022, an unexploded aerial bomb found in Tezno in Maribor was also successfully defused, in an area where experts estimate there are still many unexploded bombs, especially along bridges and railway tracks.
Examples of UXO found
Foto: Uroš Frol, Državna enota Civilne zaščite za varstvo pred neeksplodiranimi ubojnimi sredstvi