Today, April 4, is the International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Due to the full-scale invasion of the aggressor state of russia, Ukraine has become one of the most mined countries in the world - the area of the territory potentially contaminated by explosive objects is currently 156,000 sq. km, 25% of the total area.
Ukrainian News Agency will tell about what cases of demining miners face, what paces, forecasts and demining technologies are available today.
Thus, the territory of Ukraine, which due to the full-scale invasion of the aggressor state of the russian federation, was potentially contaminated with explosive objects, is estimated at 174,000 sq. km, which is slightly less than 30%.
Interactive map of areas that could potentially be contaminated by explosive objects. Screenshot: Service of mine countermeasures of the State Emergency Service
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, while visiting Zagreb, noted that it is like three squares of Croatia. Let's add that it is also almost two areas of Hungary (93,028 sq. km), more than two areas of the Czech Republic (78,867 sq. km), more than four areas of the Netherlands (41,543 sq. km) and almost eight areas of Israel (21,937 sq. km).
At the same time, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) notes that demining specialists managed to reduce it by 18,000 sq. km - i.e. currently it is 156,000 sq. km, about 25% of the total area of Ukraine.
Specialists indicate that the Kharkiv, Kherson and Donetsk Regions remain the most dangerous regions.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, in late February, during the full-scale invasion, sappers discovered more than 760,000 explosive objects. The vast majority are in the de-occupied territories.
Thus, the SESU reports that the priorities for specialists are demining of de-occupied settlements, critical and transport infrastructure, and agricultural land.
Infographics of demining by units of the State Emergency Service of the territory of Ukraine
While retreating, the enemy deliberately left a lot of mines in the places that were occupied. In particular, a large number of explosive objects remain in the forests, for example, in the Izium and Balakliya districts, where the russian invaders temporarily stood.
According to the State Forestry Agency, a large part of the forest returned to the control of Ukraine remains unsuitable for use. About 0.5 million hectares of forests of the State Forestry Agency require demining. It is indicated that the process of demining in forests can last for decades.
The state is also working towards speeding up demining of agricultural land, which it calls an important step so that businesses can resume work in de-occupied territories. Thus, the government approved the procedure for compensating farmers for the humanitarian demining of agricultural lands.
"Today's decision of the Government will enable farmers to conclude contracts with both state and private operators of mine action activities for clearing agricultural land and receive compensation from the state budget this spring," the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine notes.
In the Kherson Region, a tractor ran over ammunition in a field, the driver was killed. Photo: SESU
Meanwhile, experts say that explosive objects are often found in the most unexpected places.
"We find "explosive gifts" in the most unexpected places, starting from the front door, to personal belongings, closets, beds, even in beehives. The most dangerous are stretch grenades," said the head of the humanitarian demining department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Serhii Reva.
Also, experts report cases of mining of children's toys and other objects that attract the attention of children and therefore pose a great threat to their life and health.
Flyer of the State Emergency Service
In addition, pyrotechnicians encountered situations when the enemy planted an anti-personnel mine under an anti-tank mine - as soon as the sappers approach to remove the anti-tank mine, the anti-personnel mine is triggered. Moreover, the explosion of anti-personnel ammunition can detonate the explosion of anti-tank one, and accordingly the number of casualties can be much higher.
According to the data of the Ministry of Defense as of February 2024, 287 civilians, including 15 children, were killed as a result of detonation on explosive devices, and another 641 people were injured, including 77 children.
Employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine recall the algorithm of actions when explosive and suspicious objects are detected:
- in no case do not touch or move the suspicious object with your hands;
- mark with sticks (clothes, stones, etc.) the place where the suspicious object is located;
- warn about finding other people nearby. Take them away and go to a safe distance yourself (at least 100 meters);
- the only official channel for reports on the detection of suspicious explosive objects is a call to the emergency numbers 101 or 102;
- do not use telephones or other means of radio communication near a suspicious object;
- don't try disassemble the suspicious object, remove the explosive substance or detonator from it;
- a dangerous find can be found in unexpected places (fields, forests, reservoirs, gardens and ruins);
- even the slightest external impact (hit, shock, friction, heating) can activate explosive objects.
SESU infographics
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, said that currently all the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are involved in demining the territory of Ukraine, including units of the State Emergency Service, the National Police of Ukraine, and units of sappers of the National Guard.
According to Klymenko, more than 1,500 trained sappers and 33 mechanized demining machines are demining the territory of Ukraine every day.
"We calculated that one day of operation of this machine is 100 days of work of a pyrotechnician or a sapper," Klymenko noted.
At the same time, he adds, Ukraine needs at least 100 mechanized demining machines and about 5,000 pyrotechnicians who will be engaged in further demining.
Case of damage to rotor of mechanized demining machine. Photo: SESU
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also said that the department is trying to find innovative approaches to demining. With the help of drones, reconnaissance of territories is carried out, contaminated areas are determined.
In addition, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov stated that in Ukraine they are working on introducing artificial intelligence into the demining process.
"Ukrainian artificial intelligence developers UADamage are working on technology to speed up the identification of mines, projectiles and craters from explosions, which may also contain dangerous debris," he said.
UADamage. Photo: t.me/zedigital
Meanwhile, a domestic machine for preparing soil for demining has started working in the Kharkiv Region. The machine works remotely, using an automatic control panel, which guarantees the safety of pyrotechnicians during work.
A 16-ton car is moving at a speed of 3-4 kilometers per hour. The State Emergency Service emphasizes that it helps to do more quickly, safely and efficiently what sappers would need much more time for.
Domestic machine for preparing soil for demining. Photo: SESU
Machine works remotely. Photo: SESU
Pyrotechnicians also talk about the advantages of the PM-V, which they say is the safest car for them at the moment, as it is fully armored and easy to drive.
It is indicated that usually, for demining, they leave in two cars: the first, light, transports personnel. And the second - a heavy pyrotechnic machine (PM - B) - transports explosive objects to the places of liquidation.
The PM-V is assembled by a Ukrainian manufacturer and can hold several tons of ammunition, and most importantly, large aerial bombs and fragments of russian missiles, which in some places reach 2-3 m.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ruslan Strilets, informs that it would take 700 years to completely demine Ukraine, but after a series of government decisions, this estimate was reduced to 70 years.
"But I am sure that the way the demining market is developing today, new equipment, new machines, private companies that provide such services appear, we can potentially talk about a figure of seven years for the complete demining of Ukraine after our Victory, after the de-occupation our territories," he notes.
In particular, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced in September 2023 that almost 40 countries and partner organizations agreed to allocate about USD 250 million, in particular for special equipment for humanitarian demining.
Already in March 2024, it was announced that the goal of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine is to clean up 80% of contaminated land and make it safe for use within 10 years.
"The longer our territory is under occupation, the more densely the enemy mines it, but we are ready for this work. Our sappers' hands are already itching to enter the de-occupied territories and continue demining. We are ready for this work," noted the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
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