Clearing liberated territories and supporting frontline operations: How the Demining Capability Coalition assists Ukraine

The signing of the Protocol of Intent in February 2024 by Ukraine and partner nations marked the establishment of the Demining Capability Coalition.

The contamination of Ukraine's land with unexploded ordnance and explosive remnants of war is one of the greatest threats to the civilian population in Ukraine. Simultaneously, there is an urgent requirement at the line of contact for specialized equipment to neutralize enemy tactical minefields and establish Ukraine’s own tactical minefields.

To address these challenges, the Demining Capability Coalition was formed in February 2024 within the framework of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. It became one of eight Capability Coalitions, with Lithuania and Iceland taking the lead in overseeing and coordinating its operations.

The Demining Capability Coalition is the largest among the Capability Coalitions in terms of membership, comprising 22 nations. In addition to Lithuania and Iceland, the Coalition includes Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Moldova, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, France, Finland, Croatia, Czechia, Sweden, and Japan. Their efforts focus on providing Ukraine with essential equipment and technology, as well as training Ukrainian specialists.

The Coalition’s activities encompass both humanitarian and combat demining, with its primary objective being to secure international support in these domains.

A centralized mechanism for fundraising and procurement has been established under the Coalition, managed by Lithuania as the lead nation through its Central Project Management Agency (CPMA). 

To date, the Coalition has amassed over €50 million in partner contributions. The Coalition delivered more than 200 units of specialized automotive equipment, 100 systems for breaching mine-explosive barriers, 41 armored vehicles, 330 mine detectors, 154 anti-drone rifles, and additional assets and equipment to the engineering units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Special Transport Service.

Furthermore, the Coalition has facilitated the training of over 4,000 Ukrainian demining specialists in accordance with NATO and International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) at training centers of partner nations, with plans to continue such training initiatives.

In total, eight Capability Coalitions have been established within the framework of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group: The Air Force Coalition, the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Coalition, the Maritime Capability Coalition, the Drone Coalition, the IT Coalition, the Artillery Coalition, the Armored Vehicles and Maneuverability Coalition, and the Demining Capability Coalition.

On January 9, 2025, the defense ministers of 14 leading nations, along with Ukraine, coordinated roadmaps for enhancing the capabilities of all the Coalitions. This occurred during a meeting of the Capability Coalition Leaders Group within the framework of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format).