As part of Ukraine's ongoing efforts to counter Russian disinformation and commemorate its own history, the United24 charity worked with Minecraft creator Endorah to create 16 of the town of Soledar, once home to Europe's largest salt production facility They created "Minesalt," a recreation of real-world locations.

Soledar was the center of months of fighting following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was eventually occupied by Russian forces in January 2023. Soledal was almost completely destroyed in the fighting, and what remains is cut off from the rest of the world.

"Now that the city is under temporary occupation, Minesalt is the only way to explore the incredible beauty of these salt mines and commemorate the historical and monumental elements of this place," said United24 coordinator Yaroslava Gress. 'It preserves their memory while honoring the people who have worked there for generations.'

Access to the Soledad archives was also lost during the invasion, so the Minesart team interviewed miners and "created a new archive from their memories, personal photos, and videos" to aid in development. They also enlisted the help of Stefan Bandrivskii, a 10-year veteran of the Soredar salt mine, to ensure that Minecraft's recreation was as accurate as possible.

Although I have not been there myself, I can say from the comparison photos that the reproduction is quite accurate.

The trip to the Soledad Salt Mine will include interactions with "famous Ukrainians and world figures" including Richard Branson, Misha Collins, Scott Kelly, and Katherine Winick, who will reveal more about the town's history and famous mine.

But it's more than just a sightseeing tour: players who collect the "crystals" in the fastest time and answer a three-question quiz will win an Xbox Series X console, a pack of "Soledality Ukrainian Rock Salt" and a Twitch gift card.

Twitch streamer Tubbo tried his hand at the title shortly after Minesalt was released, but unfortunately failed to make the top 24:

The Minesalt project commemorates the history and ongoing Ukrainian war, but also supports a fundraising campaign to rebuild the Velyka Kostromka school, which was destroyed by Russian cruise missiles in October 2022.

Minesalt is available now, and more information about the game and how to access it is available at u24.gov.ua.