Switzerland allocates $109 million for demining Ukraine

The Federal Council of Switzerland approved an aid package for Ukraine — the country allocated $109 million for demining.

"Reuters" writes about it.

Ukraine will receive this money during 2024-2027. The expenditure will be borne equally by the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Switzerland is already participating in demining work in Ukraine and has allocated about $16 million in 2022 and 2023.

• According to estimates of the UN Development Program, demining of the territory of Ukraine will cost $35.7 million. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, almost 174 000 square kilometers of Ukraine are littered with explosive objects, and the countryʼs mined fertile lands could feed 80 million people around the world. Currently, Ukrainian students in Great Britain are studying how to improve the quality of soil contaminated by hostilities.
• In total, 30% of the territory of Ukraine is contaminated by Russian mines.
• Earlier, the press officer of the State Emergency Service Oleksandr Khorunzhy said that, according to the approximate calculations of sappers, it will take up to 10 years to demine the entire territory of Ukraine.
• As of the end of September 2023, 780 people were injured by explosive objects in Ukraine. 251 people died, including 13 children.