Ukraine's Mine Clearance Skills Could Be Exported Worldwide

On December 8, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly declared April 4 each year as International Mine Awareness Day and Assistance in Mine Clearance. This year, in honor of this event, Kyiv Post conducted an interview with Paul Heslop, a senior mine action advisor for the UN resident coordinator and team in Ukraine.

During the interview, journalists asked Heslop about the current situation regarding mines in Ukraine, particularly the extent of land contamination due to Russian aggression. "We have not seen such a static frontline in Ukraine, with four years of fighting, since World War I," noted Heslop.

When asked how many hectares of land were likely mined, Heslop responded, "This is a very complex question, as currently all territory occupied by Russia since its full-scale invasion is suspected of being mined. This accounts for about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, or approximately 130.7 billion square kilometers."

While the actual contamination will likely be much less, due to the war, there is a possibility that mines or other explosive devices may have been used. "Therefore, we need to find a way to very quickly clear this land and return it to agricultural or economic use," he emphasized.

Heslop also pointed out that the frontline in Ukraine is approximately 1,000 kilometers long and ranges from two to twenty kilometers wide, making it one of the most heavily contaminated areas the world has ever seen. "Of course, we have not seen such a static frontline since World War I; now add to that another four years of fighting, which amounts to nearly 1,500 days," he added.

"If we are talking about 1,000 unexploded bombs a day, that’s one and a half million. But we know that there have been many more – we are probably dealing with three, four, or five million explosive devices on this frontline that will need to be cleared when some form of ceasefire is reached," Heslop concluded.

This situation underscores not only the seriousness of the mine clearance problem in Ukraine but also the potential of the country in this field. Ukrainian specialists already possess significant experience in demining, and their skills could be beneficial to other countries facing similar challenges.

In the context of global humanitarian crises linked to wars and conflicts, Ukraine could become an important player on the international stage in the field of mine clearance, offering its knowledge and technology to assist other countries in overcoming the aftermath of war.