Demining. How big is the problem and how can it be solved?

Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine, which began in 2014, especially after the full-scale armed aggression on February 24, 2022, led to a large number of tragic consequences and the emergence of a number of global problems, one of which is the Ukrainian territories mined by the Russians.

Unfortunately, we have to state that almost every day our civilians are detonated on explosive objects, suffer bodily injuries of varying degrees of severity, and, worst of all, the percentage of fatalities is too high. Children are especially vulnerable. Their curiosity and desire to learn new things can lead to irreversible and tragic consequences.

According to the summarized information of the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, 251 people have died, and 529 have received injuries of various degrees of severity. In fact, every day we receive reports of discovered explosive objects or detonation of civilians on them.

As of today, approximately 174 thousand square kilometers are potentially contaminated with explosive objects (the total area of Ukraine is more than 603 thousand square kilometers). Including 14 thousand square kilometers of water areas of rivers, ponds and reservoirs of Ukraine, coastal water areas of the Azov and Black Seas, i.e. 30% of the territory of Ukraine. Since the Second World War, this situation is an unprecedentedly large-scale and complex challenge for the entire security and defense sector of Ukraine and the international community.

Unfortunately, the war is not over yet, and these terrible numbers will only grow. What measures to counteract this terrible state of affairs has the state already implemented? How does the state develop demining practices and future security systems to save the maximum number of lives? How effective is cooperation with international partners?

Whose internal responsibility is it and what are the operational tasks?

In the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, demining is carried out by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). The total number of personnel is 1900 people. In the spring of this year, the government established the Center for Humanitarian Demining. The main tasks of the Center are interaction between donors who carry out financial measures for humanitarian demining and provide international technical assistance; assistance to mine action operators in providing services in the field of humanitarian demining; development and introduction of new technologies and methods of demining.

The priority and sequence of demining territories after their de-occupation is determined by military administrations. This is one of the key directions of cooperation of local authorities together with security and defense forces in the de-occupied regions.

The experience of other countries that have been demining their territories for decades after the end of hostilities, including Croatia, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kosovo and others, is actively studied and implemented in daily practical work. The scale of the Ukrainian problem is much more global than in the countries listed above. But it must be said that Ukraine was not left alone with this problem. We are grateful to international partners for the formation and expansion of the humanitarian demining coalition. From the participants of the global international meetings of the leaders of the free world, we hear more and more about the emphasis on the need for demining.

There are two main types of demining: operational (primary or urgent) and humanitarian (planned, complex). After the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories, all mine action agencies immediately begin operational demining in the order of priority:

The 1st stage – cleaning of the main logistics routes, energy infrastructure facilities and water channels. Electricians immediately follow the pyrotechnics and restore power lines. In general, the primary task is to restore the normal activity of settlements;

The 2nd stage – humanitarian demining of agricultural lands and public lands;

The 3rd stage – humanitarian demining of natural ecosystems, territories outside settlements and forests, as well as underwater demining of water bodies.

Dynamics of demining

There is a classic formula in the world: a year of war – 10 years of demining. Since military operations in our country did not begin on February 24, 2022, but in 2014, the timing of demining territories is a global world problem. However, one should not prematurely pass a verdict on at least 100 years needed for complete demining. Clear planning and time perspectives will become known after the complete de-occupation of all territories of sovereign Ukraine within the borders of 1991. Another important factor is the issue of technical support. Modern technologies make it possible to clean areas better, faster and safer. Taking into account the dynamic scientific and technical progress, this direction will be improved, and accordingly, the formula 1 year of war = 10 years of demining will be adjusted. Therefore, the time frames are currently only indicative.

As of today, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the police have 17 mechanized demining machines. In a relatively short-term perspective, it is planned to receive about 25 more units of modern equipment from donors, which will contribute to increasing the dynamics of demining. In the summer of this year, the first domestic mechanized demining machine, which was manufactured at one of the Kharkiv factories, was certified. Considering the available number of forces of the systems of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine involved in demining territories, the primary need for mechanized demining machines is 70 units.

During the period of martial law, more than 650,000 explosive objects were detected and neutralized by the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. An area of more than 140,000 hectares, more than 15,000 objects, about 7,000 km of power lines, almost 500 km of gas pipelines, 4,000 km of highways and 600 km of railways were surveyed.

The topography of the area belongs to the factors that affect the dynamics of demining. For example, a mechanized demining machine cannot be used in a forest, rocky or swampy area. Weather conditions also affect the dynamics of demining. Demining cannot be carried out at low temperatures (below +3 –5°). In fact, demining is not carried out in the period from late autumn to mid-spring. Even in summer, prolonged rainy weather is unfavorable for clearing areas of explosive objects.

Another problem is that the Russian occupiers often use remote mine systems. And that is why we cannot have 100 percent confidence in the safety of territories that have been cleared by explosives and pyrotechnics, because the occupiers can carry out repeated remote mining, and this is a significant threat to the life and health of people, as well as to wild and domestic animals. This is especially dangerous for the front-line and border areas with Russia.

The main obstacles to effective and relatively quick demining of territories are also known. We are talking about the insufficient number of mechanized demining machines, which have proven their effectiveness in demining de-occupied territories (one day of operation of such a machine is equivalent to 100 days of work one specialist in pyrotechnics). In addition, effective demining is hindered by constant shelling by the occupiers, rocket and artillery strikes, as well as the dropping of explosive objects by the enemy with the help of drones. It is also worth mentioning the repeated remote mining of territories and the use of plastic casings for mines in order to complicate their identification with the help of a metal detector. The widespread use of min-petals, which visually resemble a leaf and are difficult to detect with the help of a metal detector. Insufficient equipment, personal protective equipment and vehicles to transport personnel to increase the staff. Russian mining of civilian infrastructure objects and masking of explosive devices in the most unpredictable places (children's toys, beds, coffee makers, cars, etc.)

However, the main thing is the work aimed at ensuring people's awareness of the types of explosive objects, understanding the algorithm of actions when detecting such objects and the need to follow certain restrictions and clear rules for their own safety. This will especially apply to residents of territories that have been under occupation for a long time. For example, demining of parts of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions, which were under occupation for almost two months, is still ongoing.

Practical steps that help save people’s lives

In order to prevent human casualties among the civilian population that was under occupation, as well as among people living in the front-line areas, units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the police conduct educational activities using all available sources of public information.

Mobile application called "Demining of Ukraine". The developed user-friendly multifunctional mobile application contains up-to-date information in real time about particularly dangerous areas that were under occupation and may be contaminated with explosive objects, information about the types and characteristics of such objects, and rules of conduct when suspicious objects are detected. In addition, this mobile application provides an opportunity to report a potentially dangerous thing with the help of a few clicks with automatic determination of a person's location.

Another useful feature of the application is the ability to apply to become a sapper or an explosive ordnance identification expert or a mine action operator. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, in terms of the formation of state policy in the field of mine action, is guided by the principles of minimizing bureaucratic procedures and maximum assistance to private mine action operators who want to participate in the clearance of territories.

"Safety classes". Together with the UN United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine, the project "Safety Classes" is being implemented in educational institutions. In different regions of the country, students are actively learning how to behave in emergency situations. Children are told about safe behavior in martial law, fire and mine safety in a playful way using interactive tools.

Global and domestic risks

Mined regions lose their attractiveness not only for foreign, but also for domestic investors. There are high risks for the life and health of employees of enterprises, risks of irreversible loss of expensive equipment used in production (not subject to insurance), and other (derivative) risks that must be taken into account when developing investment plans. Therefore, the economic sector suffers significantly.

As for food security, the mining of agricultural land affects world food security, the level of commodity prices, respectively, and the general well-being of the population of various countries. The food crisis threatens, first of all, developing countries, in particular the Global South – the countries of the African continent. We must understand that Ukrainian fertile soil is a real treasure. They need to be protected and take care of their fertility. On mined lands, which have not been cultivated for a long time, bushes appear and desolation spreads. Therefore, accordingly, returning these soils to a state of fertility will require significant financial and resource costs and human efforts.

Logistic security. Ukraine has an exceptionally favorable geographical location, which makes it possible to combine air, road, sea, and river logistics connections. And here we are once again convinced that the mining of Ukrainian territories is a global problem, the solution of which goes far beyond the boundaries of the mined area.

Ecological safety. If we recall the general trend of the life of the world until February 24, 2022, there were two main problems that were the cornerstone issues at all international events and were on the agenda of the governments of the countries. We are talking about combating the pandemic caused by the acute respiratory disease COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, and the environmental security of the world and global warming. A year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the goal of sustainable development is mostly poverty alleviation, and the most attention is paid to the problem of climate change. And the mining of Ukrainian lands by the Russians significantly worsens the ecological situation in the world.

We are grateful to police explosives officers, pyrotechnic units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU), as well as the entire security and defense sector for their daily hard and dangerous work, on which the fate of not only Ukraine, but also the world depends.

Demining Ukrainian territories within the framework of the Peace Formula

The peace formula proposed by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was supported by the absolute majority of the civilized world. This is confirmed by the vote for the resolution of the UN General Assembly "On a just and lasting peace in Ukraine" dated February 23, 2023 (for - 141 countries; against - 7 countries; abstained - 32 countries). The peace formula contains 10 interrelated components.

The problem of demining the territories of Ukraine covers at least three points of the Peace Formula - "Radiation and nuclear safety", "Energy safety", "Combating ecocide".

For example, the implementation of the eighth point "Combating ecocide" (facts of purposeful negative impact on the natural environment, including during hostilities). The detonation of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station by the Russian military on June 6, 2023 was a conscious and purposeful act of ecocide. This caused the largest man-made and ecological accident in recent decades, which led to the flooding of more than 80 settlements, the death of people, and the destruction of flora and fauna. In addition, this caused a decrease in the amount of electricity generation for the needs of the civilian population, a lack of water supply in cities with a million people and other settlements, as well as a significant increase in the level of potential danger of an accident at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

A large number of mines and other explosive objects got into the Dnipro, and it is not known how many of them were carried by the river to the Black Sea. It is difficult to imagine the consequences of an ecological disaster. The question is not even their detonation, but the amount of harmful substances and metals that have penetrated into the ecosystem of rivers, seas, soil, and groundwater, such as zinc, iron, mercury, chromium, and others.

We cannot be sure that Russia will not resort to the next terrorist act and blow up one of the largest nuclear power plants in Europe, the Zaporizhia NPP, which has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. Moreover, there is an extremely high risk that the detonation of mines may occur after the de-occupation of the Zaporizhia NPP in order to discredit the Ukrainian army and stop the counteroffensive.

Therefore, the issue of the laying of mines by the Russians in critical infrastructure facilities, especially the nuclear power plant, is one of the most global, requiring the special attention of the whole world when demining is carried out.

In the context of combating ecocide, special attention should be paid to the problem of hiding explosive shells in the forest, because when an explosive device detonates, dry grass and trees start burning almost immediately. As a result, almost every time there is a forest fire, accordingly, spontaneous destruction of flora and fauna occurs. According to the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, in general, by the end of 2022, 3 million hectares of forest have already been affected in the state, which is almost a third of the country's forest fund (before the invasion, the official area of forests reached 10.4 million hectares).

International aid

The civilized world is undergoing a maturity test right now, and a key indicator is the attitude to Russia's war against Ukraine. We are grateful to our international partners for multifaceted material and technical assistance and methodical support. The governments of the USA, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Azerbaijan, the European Union and other countries are the leaders in supporting Ukraine in humanitarian demining.

The most effective cooperation and real international assistance comes from the Howard Buffett Foundation, the United Nations Development Program, The HALO Trust companies, the Danish Refugee Council in Ukraine (DRC), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD), Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), Estonian Association of Rescuers and others.

So far, almost 40 countries and partner organizations have agreed to allocate about 250 million dollars, in particular for special equipment for humanitarian demining.

We have a formed request for the needs of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Police and the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU)in terms of demining. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine will promote it through various communication channels to international partners. But the first thing that is needed for the demining of Ukrainian territories and the restoration of world security is the complete de-occupation of all territories of Ukraine within the borders of 1991. Everything else is derivative, but no less important for further life and development.