Six residents of the Lugansk People’s Republic have been killed in blasts of explosive hazards since the beginning of this year, the LPR Emergencies Ministry press service said.   “There’ve been 19 explosive hazards blast cases since the beginning of this year, in which 18 were wounded and six were killed,” the press service said. Staying in areas which have not been checked by mine clearance specialists is among the causes of casualties. In September - early October, three mushroom pickers were killed and another two remained crippled for life.   The latest such incident occurred on October 14. A 23-year-old resident of Zolotoye-5 stepped on a “Lepestok” PFM-1 anti-personnel mine as he was picking mushrooms near his home. The young man was rushed to the Central Town Hospital. He was diagnosed with “blast trauma, traumatic amputation at the middle third of the right tibia.”   “The Ukrainian army uses this mine (“Lepestok”) in violation of the 1977 Ottawa convention (the anti-personnel mine ban treaty). The small-sized mine is extremely dangerous and is so called due to its shape. It is normally brown or green in in color, so it’s difficult to spot it in the grass or on the ground. “Lepestok” has no self-destruct mechanism and can lie for years before being triggered. It cannot kill a person, but losing a foot is a likely outcome,” the press service said.   The Ukrainian army scattered “Lepestok” mines in such LPR areas as Lisichansk, Stanitsa Luganskaya, Slavyanoserbsk district and Pervomaisk.   The LPR Emergencies Ministry reminds that in case of finding suspicious objects that look like ammunition or explosive devices, residents should not approach them, mark the location with whatever is available, report the find to the emergency service (101) or police (102).   It is prohibited to move, throw, lift, collect, keep, disassemble, heat or strike at explosive hazards.   They must not be taken inside rooms or collected as scrap metal.   The LPR Emergencies Ministry recommends residents to reduce their stay in forests, parks or water bodies areas where unexploded ordnance is likely to be found.*i*v