The area of Ukrainian territories potentially contaminated by mines and explosive hazards decreased by 17,000 km² in 2024
In 2024, the area of Ukrainian territories potentially contaminated by explosive remnants of war decreased by 17,000 km², leaving the current total at 139,000 km². This results from the collaborative efforts of mine action operators and mine clearance units of the Defence and Security Forces.
This was discussed at a National Mine Action Agency meeting chaired by Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, First Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine and First Deputy Chairman of the National Mine Action Agency.
In particular, Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, Head of the Secretariat of the National Mine Action Agency and Head of the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety, reported on the results of the implementation of the Action Plan for Surveying and Clearing Agricultural Lands from Explosive Hazards. According to him, in 2024, 3,152.52 km² were surveyed for explosive hazards, of which more than 2,500 km² were demined.
In addition, as a result of implementing the Action Plan for Humanitarian Demining of Ukraine's De-occupied Territories, in 2024, non-technical surveys were conducted in 165 communities across seven regions, nearly three times the planned objective. 2,291 sites of potentially or actually contaminated areas, covering a total of 302.9 km², were identified.
At the end of the meeting, First Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, expressed gratitude to the sappers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Special Transport Service, pyrotechnicians of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, explosive experts from the National Police of Ukraine, and mine action operators, all of whom are currently carrying out significant work in demining the liberated territories.
Tags
- Demining