Over 140,000 Square Kilometres of Ukraine’s Land and and Water Mined, Says Defense Ministry

As a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion, approximately 128,000 square kilometers of Ukraine’s land and 14,000 square kilometers of its water areas are contaminated with explosive remnants of war. This situation has been reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Colonel Ruslan Berehulya, the head of the State Emergency Service’s Mine Action Department, emphasized during the Security 2.0 forum that these conditions severely impact the safety of civilian populations, agriculture, industry, and socio-economic growth in affected regions. “These risks negatively affect the lives of over 6 million Ukrainians,” he stated.

At the forum, which was part of the Security 2.0 exhibition focusing on security equipment, humanitarian demining, civil protection, and first aid, Berehulya presented an overview of the current situation and outlined the upcoming steps aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine. He expressed gratitude to Ukraine’s international partners for their support, stating, “Thanks to our joint efforts, we will clear our land from explosive remnants meter by meter and establish robust tools to implement humanitarian objectives in mine action.”

The collaborative efforts in the regions affected by aggressor actions aim to create a safe environment, facilitate the return of internally displaced persons, and restore economic development.

In August, Igor Bezkaraivny, Deputy Minister of Economy, indicated that approximately 139,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory are contaminated due to the ongoing conflict, down from a previous estimate of 174,000 square kilometers last year. This ongoing contamination poses significant long-term risks to agricultural productivity and environmental safety.

UNITED24 ambassadors, historian and Yale University professor Timothy Snyder, and actor Mark Hamill, are raising funds for robotic demining complexes such as the Zmiy Ground Demining Complex, UGV SIRKO-S1, and the KNLR-E Multi-purpose Tracked Platform. These robots will help clear Ukrainian land, ensuring the safety of sappers and saving civilian lives.

Timothy Snyder remarked, “Thanks to these robots, we can clear landmines and save lives. I’m thrilled to join Mark Hamill and all of you in creating Safe Terrains.”