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On February 24, 2022, Stepan Bandrivskyi awakened earlier than daybreak and bought prepared for a special occasion: his birthday.
It wouldn’t be a very comfortable one. Hours earlier, a pair dozen miles away, Russian tanks had rolled throughout the borders of his native Ukraine. The total-scale invasion had begun.
Like so many different Ukrainians, Bandrivskyi didn’t know what to do. So he went to work, to the Soledar Salt Mine, a cavernous state-run operation in Jap Ukraine. Kyiv says it’s the greatest such mine in Europe. His supervisor instructed him to go residence: The mine was closed. It hasn’t resumed operations since.
Bandrivskyi fled the area not lengthy after, as Russian forces superior. After practically a 12 months of combating, throughout which the mines have been became bunkers, Russia seized and occupied the city of Soledar—though fierce combating continues close by. Over time, Bandrivskyi got here to the painful realization that he might by no means see the salt mine, and its eerie and remoted magnificence, ever once more.
Final 12 months, Bandrivskyi obtained a telephone name from a colleague. “He invited me to take part in a really fascinating mission,” he says.
The Ukrainian authorities needed to fully map the mine “and translate it right into a recreation surroundings,” he says. Bandrivskyi seized the chance. “I needed to maintain it in my reminiscence, and I needed different individuals to have the ability to sort of immerse themselves on this world as effectively,” he says.
With that, Minesalt was born.
The concept for Minesalt comes from United24, the official crowdfunding arm of the Ukrainian authorities. For practically two years, United24 has raised funds to rebuild apartment blocks and purchase de-mining equipment. Final 12 months, United24 started transport batches of salt to donors, by its “Soledarity” marketing campaign—elevating some $3 million to buy reconnaissance drones.
However because the battle drags into its third 12 months, donor fatigue has set in. That has pushed United24 to provide you with new and revolutionary methods of attracting the world’s consideration—and assist.
Minesalt, which launches today, is likely to be their most impressed effort but.
On the left, the Soledar Salt Mine in Ukraine. On the proper, a recreation of the mine in Minecraft. (Transfer the slider within the center to see a full view of every picture.)
“It is crucial for us to recollect and speak about each Ukrainian metropolis that’s beneath non permanent Russian occupation,” Yaroslava Gres, chief coordinator of United24, instructed WIRED in a press release. Final summer season, when a staff urged bringing Soledar to life as a online game, it was a very simple concept to say sure to.
Constructed for the wildly widespread sandbox recreation Minecraft, Minesalt challenges gamers to race by the mine, amassing 140 hidden salt crystals as quick as attainable. On the finish of the run, a quiz assessments gamers’ recollection of particulars from Soledar. However, like in the remainder of Minecraft, Minesalt gamers may also choose to wander at their very own tempo.
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