On February 24, 2022, Stepan Bandrivskyi awakened earlier than daybreak and received prepared for a big day: 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 complete-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 dwelling: The mine was closed. It hasn’t resumed operations since.
Bandrivskyi fled the area not lengthy after, as Russian forces superior. After practically a yr of combating, throughout which the mines had been changed into 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 could by no means see the salt mine, and its eerie and remoted magnificence, ever once more.
Final yr, Bandrivskyi obtained a cellphone name from a colleague. “He invited me to take part in a really fascinating venture,” 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 folks to have the ability to sort of immerse themselves on this world as properly,” 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 house blocks and buy de-mining tools. Final yr, United24 started transport batches of salt to donors, by its “Soledarity” marketing campaign—elevating some $3 million to buy reconnaissance drones.
However because the warfare drags into its third yr, donor fatigue has set in. That has pushed United24 to give you new and revolutionary methods of attracting the world’s consideration—and help.
Minesalt, which launches in the present day, could be their most impressed effort but.
On the left, the Soledar Salt Mine in Ukraine. On the best, 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 discuss each Ukrainian metropolis that’s underneath momentary Russian occupation,” Yaroslava Gres, chief coordinator of United24, instructed WIRED in an announcement. Final summer time, when a group prompt bringing Soledar to life as a online game, it was an easy concept to say sure to.
Constructed for the wildly well-liked sandbox recreation Minecraft, Minesalt challenges gamers to race by the mine, amassing 140 hidden salt crystals as quick as doable. On the finish of the run, a quiz assessments gamers’ recollection of particulars from Soledar. However, like in the remainder of Minecraft, Minesalt gamers can even decide to wander at their very own tempo.
