Almost 70 operators engaged in demining in Ukraine - Shmyhal
Nearly 70 mine action operators and over 4,000 sappers are currently engaged in demining operations in Ukraine.
This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the Demine Ukraine Forum 2024, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“Almost 70 mine action operators, more than 4,000 sappers and about 150 pieces of equipment are currently engaged in demining operations,” the Prime Minister said.
Shmyhal highlighted that during the first year of the full-scale war, 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory were identified as potentially mined. As of today, the potentially mined area is approximately 139,000 square kilometers, which is larger than the area of Greece, Bulgaria, or Austria. Nearly 35,500 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been de-mined and returned to use.
The Prime Minister also stated that the agricultural sector suffers $1.2 billion in losses annually. Additionally, Russian mines have injured more than 760 civilians, including 86 children.
Ukraine is carrying out humanitarian demining in accordance with the Mine Action Strategy, Shmyhal emphasized. He stated that the first direction entails surveying the affected areas to ascertain which regions are no longer considered high-risk and can be promptly returned to farmers for cultivation. Shmyhal highlighted that this approach enables an expansion in cultivated land, job creation, and the generation of tax revenue from agricultural enterprises, while also facilitating an increase in food exports.
Another objective of the strategy is to attract international assistance. The head of government has announced that approximately 50 countries have joined the Humanitarian Demining Coalition, with a total contribution exceeding one billion dollars.
Moreover, there has been an increase in the quantity of demining equipment available. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of localizing the production of such equipment and encouraged partners to procure new machinery from Ukrainian enterprises.
“We are open to all innovations that can be applied in demining. There is a huge scope for testing the latest technologies in Ukraine. Accordingly, one of the areas we are working on is increasing the number of certified mine action operators, including private ones. The government has simplified, unified and digitalized certification as much as possible. The number of operators has doubled over the year. We expect further positive dynamics,” he said.
Shmyhal also recalled that the state is ready to provide full compensation to farmers for demining services. He stated that this creates a competitive market and motivates.
As Ukrinform reported, participants in the ninth meeting of the Demining Coalition, co-chaired by Lithuania and Iceland, discussed Ukraine's needs for equipment and weapons and agreed on the Roadmap for Assistance for 2025-2034.
Photo: facebook.com/dshmyhal/