The most precious Easter bread: Easter breads were baked in Kyiv from flour from demined fields

A masterclass in baking Easter breads (paskas) took place in Kyiv as part of the "Soul of Soil 2.0" project. The flour for the Easter breads was milled in Mykolaiv from wheat grown on the liberated and demined fields of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.

"Soul of Soil 2.0" — is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, and the "Silpo" retail chain.

"With this project, we want to draw attention to the problem of Ukrainian lands being contaminated with explosive ordnance. Currently, Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world — 139 thousand sq. km are potentially mined. The goal of this initiative is to show the world the true price of Ukrainian bread," noted the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko.

She also shared that the wheat for the "Soul of Soil 2.0" project was grown in Mala Oleksandrivka and other villages in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, where sappers demined 1,800 hectares. Overall, 35 thousand square kilometers of land have already been returned to use in Ukraine.

"On the cleared fields, farmer Oleksiy Rudenko, together with his nephews, grew wheat, which a Mykolaiv manufacturer milled into flour, and this is exactly what was used to bake the Easter breads within the 'Soul of Soil 2.0' project," added the Minister of Economy.

In Kyiv, the masterclass in baking Easter breads from flour grown on demined fields took place in one of the "Silpo" supermarkets. It was led by Yevhen Klopotenko, and attended by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko, as well as ambassadors from foreign states. In total, 35 guests took part in the first masterclass.

During the masterclass, guests were taught to bake traditional Easter breads, shared their own recipes and cooking secrets, and told the story of the flour from the demined fields of the Kherson region. Each participant received a ready-made Easter bread as a gift.

"The 'Soul of Soil' initiative embodies the resilience and spirit of Ukraine. On the eve of Easter, we must remember that every loaf of bread, every paska on our tables is the result of many stories of courage – the dedication of farmers, the bravery of sappers, and the unwavering support of the international community. Our collective demining efforts are not just about land restoration; it is about restoring life and ensuring a future where Ukrainian land plays a key role in feeding the entire world," — Mathias Schmale, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, and Humanitarian Coordinator.

Similar masterclasses will be held in five other major cities across Ukraine. The event is supported by Ukrainian chefs: Leonid Maliuha in Lviv, Andrii Vorona in Dnipro, Oleksandr Tsepkovskyi in Kharkiv, Ihor Zrazhevskyi in Odesa, Heorhii Asirian and Yuliia Khiznichenko in Mykolaiv.

"Every day at 'Silpo', we bake bread, so we realize the value of Ukrainian grain grown despite the war. Through the Easter bread baking masterclasses, we want to tell our Guests — not through texts and numbers, but through a shared experience — about the true value of bread made from flour from demined fields. Guests will learn the story of the flour, discover baking secrets from renowned chefs, and receive a paska as a keepsake that cannot be bought. This is our way of saying to the people who are bringing life back to the de-occupied territories: we know, we value, and we are infinitely grateful," comments "Silpo" Marketing Director Kateryna Ohuriaieva.

Baking Easter breads from flour grown on the demined fields of the de-occupied Kherson region is only part of the "Soul of Soil 2.0" project.

Overall, the organizers created an Easter Basket. Inside, they placed not only Easter breads but also Galician pysanky (Easter eggs) painted by the mother of fallen paramedic Iryna Tsybukh, as well as towels with willow branches embroidered by grandmothers from the border Sumy region, participants of the "Moim.Ridnym" (To My Dearest) social enterprise. After all, their region also remains in the mine risk zone.

The issue of humanitarian demining is coordinated by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko. The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine ensures the interaction of central executive authorities on mine action issues regarding humanitarian demining.