Ukraine Increases Safety Measures After Deadly Mining Accidents

Seventy-five miners have been killed and 3,000 injured in Ukraine since January 1.

KYIV -- The Ukrainian government today announced new safety measures for three large coal mines in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Lviv oblasts in response to accidents that have killed dozens of miners, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.

State Committee for Labor Control (DPN) officials said today that the measures will be introduced as of August 10. Since January 1, a total of 75 miners have been killed and 3,000 injured in a series of accidents at the mines.

The new measures will include monitoring the air, and a regular check of the electric cables and equipment used for air purification.

The most recent fatal accident occurred at the Rumyantsiv mine in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast on August 7. Two miners were found dead after an explosion in the mine, and a third is still missing.