Over 142,000 square kilometers in Ukraine remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance

Some 128,000 square kilometers of land and 14,000 square kilometers of waterways in Ukraine remain contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance due to Russia's all-out invasion.

That is according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

Russian aggression has a significant impact on the security of the civilian population, agriculture, industry, and socio-economic growth in the affected regions.

According to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection and Environmental Safety and head of the secretariat of the National Authority for Mine Action, these risks affect the lives of more than six million Ukrainians.

He spoke about the current situation in Ukraine at the forum "Financial principles in humanitarian demining and principles of compensation in the agricultural sector" in Kyiv during the Security 2.0 exhibition.

Berehulia also outlined the next steps to improve the effectiveness of measures in the field of humanitarian demining in Ukraine.

Read also: More than 200,000 ha of farmland cleared of mines since-year start – PM Shmyhal

"Thanks to joint efforts, we will free our land from explosive objects meter by meter. We will create powerful tools to achieve the humanitarian goals of mine action," he said.

Such cooperation in the regions affected by the aggressor's actions will help create a safe environment, return temporarily displaced persons, and restore economic development, Berehulia added.

Photo: www.mil.gov.ua