Demining on the frontline is a crucial task for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to advance in their counteroffensive against Russian invading troops.
Military aid provided by Western allies also focuses on demining equipment that the Ukrainian servicemen employ to clear pre-frontline Russian minefields and liberated territories from Russian mines.
Western aid to demine territories
German Wisent, American M58 MICLIC, Slovak Bozena-5, British Armtac 400, and Canadian GCS-200 help the Ukrainians to demine territories effectively.
Many videos of Western equipment used to clear Ukrainian territory were posted online. International partners provide Ukraine with $244 million for demining.
This help is crucial both for the safety of civilians in the war zone and for a secure advance of the Ukrainian military.
The scales of mined territories
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said that at least 30% of Ukraine is mined. Nearly 174,000 square kilometres of territory are potentially dangerous for life. Ukraine ranks first in the world in terms of mined areas.
Since Russia’s large-scale military invasion of Ukraine began, the Emergency Service has deffused more than 411,000 explosive devices, including more than 3,000 aircraft bombs.
According to the deputy interior minister, Ukraine has increased the number of sappers, and it is planned to create professional demining units in the areas where hostilities have been and are ongoing, as well as to increase units in other regions to create a reserve of forces and equipment.
Ukraine’s cooperation with foreign international actors
The EU, the US, Canada and Japan are currently leading the way in supporting humanitarian demining in Ukraine.
The Croatian government on July 31 allocated €1 million to the UN World Food Programme to help Ukraine clear agricultural land of mines.
Ukraine is implementing joint mine action projects with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, and international organisations that operate mine action (Halo Trust, FSD, DRC, NPA).
Work is also underway to attract international technical assistance, namely modern demining equipment and machinery, training and professional development of personnel involved in demining.
It involves representatives of the embassies of donor states, NORDIC countries, the US Department of State, representatives of the EU and Switzerland, Croatia and international organisations (UNDP, the United Nations Office for Project Services, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Exchange).
