Since the beginning of Russia's large-scale armed aggression, state demining operators have surveyed and cleared 5,308 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. The progress of demining efforts was discussed at a meeting of the National Mine Action Authority, chaired by First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk.
The event included representatives from the Ministries of Defense, Internal Affairs, Economy, Reintegration of Occupied Territories, the State Labor Service, the State Emergency Service, and other agencies and enterprises involved in mine action.
Participants discussed measures to implement the 2024 Humanitarian Demining Plan for the de-occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as the Plan for Surveying Agricultural Land for Explosive Hazards.
Since the start of the year, non-technical surveys have been conducted in 59 territorial communities, identifying 235 square kilometers as potentially contaminated.
Currently, humanitarian demining is being carried out at 282 sites, covering a total of 17.5 square kilometers, of which 88 sites totaling 7.23 square kilometers have already been handed over to local communities.
In addition, according to the Plan for Clearing Agricultural Land of Explosive Hazards, 2,059 square kilometers have been surveyed and demined, allowing the land to return to productive use.
"As a result of the initial non-technical survey of areas affected by explosive hazards, the estimated contaminated area has decreased from 156,000 square kilometers to 142,000 square kilometers," reported Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk.
Members of the National Mine Action Authority decided to form Ukraine's consolidated position for participation in the 5th Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines.
Colonel Ruslan Berehulya, head of the Secretariat of the National Mine Action Authority and the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety, announced the beginning of planning for demining operations in 2025.
Attention was also given to demining Ukrainian maritime areas. Next year, Ukraine is expected to receive three additional demining ships, bringing the total to five.
Moreover, the efficiency of maritime demining has improved thanks to the support of Germany, which provided specialized equipment for detecting and classifying explosive hazards.
