In Ukraine, 23% of the territory is potentially mined

Currently, 139 000 km² (23%) of Ukraineʼs territory remains potentially mined. In September 2023, this figure reached 30%.

This was reported by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

84 certified operators and 225 demining machines are working on demining. Some of this equipment was manufactured in Ukraine.

In August last year, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine approved amendments to Resolution No. 284 at a government meeting — from then on, farmers will be compensated 100% for the demining of their agricultural territories.

Thus, the state has already compensated over UAH 529 million to farmers who used the services of private operators to demine their agricultural territories. 360 farmers have already submitted applications under this state initiative. The state budget for the current year has provided UAH 3 billion for this purpose.

Approximately 50 members of the Demining Coalition are involved in the demining of Ukraine, including the USA, Switzerland, the EU, Japan, Norway, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Demining Ukraine

According to the United Nations Development Program estimates, in 2023, demining of Ukraine will cost $35.7 million. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, almost 174 000 km² of Ukraine is littered with explosives, and the countryʼs mined fertile lands could feed 80 million people. In the period 2022-2027, the amount of commitments from Ukraineʼs partner countries exceeds $850 million — this is money allocated for projects in the field of humanitarian demining.

Earlier, the chief officer of the State Emergency Service Oleksandr Khorunzhyi stated that it would take up to 10 years to demine the entire territory of Ukraine — these are the approximate calculations of the sappers.

As of January of this year, since the start of the full-scale invasion, sappers have surveyed, demined, or cleared 35 000 km² of Ukrainian land. This is more than the Odesa region, which is the largest in Ukraine.

• In June last year, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported that the first state register of territories contaminated or likely contaminated with explosive objects would be created in Ukraine.

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