The procedure for diver-sappers is straightforward: as soon as the SES receives a report about an object in the water that could be hazardous, a team (usually comprising seven specialists) deploys to the scene.

“Someone on the beach, swimming or fishing, notices an explosive object. To assess the type of object and determine whether it poses a danger, a diver-sapper is required. They dive into the water, examine the object, and make a determination. It could be an aircraft, a drone, or a missile that landed in the water. Then we decide whether to remove it from the water or destroy it on site. Diver-sappers also participate in beach inspections to ensure they are safe,” Oleh explained.

Each diver-sapper has another expertise: demolitions. They sometimes need to lay explosives to break up ice, dislodge stones, or carry out work on a hydraulic structure.

“A Shahed drone fell into the Samara River on the outskirts of the city and exploded. We were informed immediately. We began working, initially using drones and sonars. However, since the area was shallow, our diver-sappers had to do the work. It was a difficult site: silt, reeds, branches, and wastewater make diving there difficult. We found fragments of the Shahed drone and investigated — it turned out they were safe. We removed them from the water and handed them over to the police,” Oleh said, describing an incident from the summer of 2025.

Oleh has 29 people under his command: diver-sappers, drivers, and administrative staff. The unit is well-coordinated and 80 percent equipped. The team can never have too much diving equipment. Work is often carried out in perilous conditions in the water, among stones or branches. A diver’s suit can easily be damaged or stained with fuel oil or gasoline leaking from ammunition or spilling into the water.

The work is dangerous, difficult, and stressful, but extremely important. The team must answer every call fully prepared.