Ukrainian doctors have avoided an explosive end after apparently removing an enemy grenade that was lodged in a soldier’s chest during Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The unfortunate soldier — or perhaps fortunate given the possible outcomes — remained in a stable condition following the surgery, according to social media comments from Ukrainian government officials.

A chest X-ray was uploaded to social media by the country’s Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Maliar.

She said surgeons could not use electrocoagulation to control the bleeding because of concerns the grenade “could detonate at any moment”.