As of February 24, 2022, there were just a small number of mine action operators in Ukraine who met certification standards. Nevertheless, in light of the significant demand arising from russia's large-scale invasion, the total has now risen to 56.

This topic was explored in a meeting that included Oleksandr Serhiy, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, the Head of the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety, and Ambassador Tobias Privitelli, the Director of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).

Ukrainian representatives thanked Tobias Privitelli for the assistance in demining the territories after the onset of the large-scale russian invasion. 

“Thanks to the support of foreign partners with modern technologies and investments, we were able to significantly accelerate the demining of the territories affected by the invasion. We already possess a unique expertise in training and certifying sappers. Thanks to this potential, we will be able to more quickly restore safety to contaminated areas once the hostilities are over,” Ruslan Berehulia said.

Tobias Privitelli confirmed the Geneva International Centre's intention to continue its work on finding and attracting international donors and assisting in the standardization of mine action.

“We need to invest in the latest technologies being developed in Ukraine and globally. A crucial assistance element also involves the training programs designed for your experts,” says Tobias Privitelli.

Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksandr Serhiy highlighted that collaborating with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining will help mitigate dangers posed by explosive devices to inhabitants and contribute to the recovery of the affected regions.