August 30 to September 1, the International Security Forum GLOBSEC-2024 was held in Prague. The central topic of the forum was security in Ukraine, in particular, challenges related to the war. Special emphasis was placed on Mine Action, which is critically important for ensuring the stability and security of our country.
Among the topics discussed were: the current state of demining in Ukraine, new terms of compensation for farmers, and also the transfer of the MV-4 remote control robotic EOD complex from Croatia to Ukraine . Let’s reveal these questions in more detail.
State of demining in Ukraine: Current situation and progress
Currently, Ukraine has 142,000 square kilometers of potentially dangerous territory that requires humanitarian demining. This information was announced at the forum by the Secretariat of the National Mine Action Authority of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
At the beginning of 2023, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the area of such territories was 174 thousand square kilometers. There is a positive trend: 32,000 square kilometers have already been returned to safe use as intended.
What are the prospects for cleaning up the territories? According to the national mine action strategy, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and developed with the participation of the Ukrainian Deminers Association, it is planned to clear about 80% of the de-occupied territories by 2033. These are realistic indicators, which are confirmed by the positive dynamics of demining in 2023 and 2024.
Support of agrarian business: New terms of compensation
At the forum, the Ministry of Economy announced new compensation conditions for farmers: now they will be compensated for 100% of the costs of demining agricultural land (previously, the compensation was 80%).
This step is extremely important for the agricultural sector, which has been suffering from the consequences of the war for more than two and a half years. Full compensation will help farmers regain access to mined lands without additional costs, which will contribute to the restoration of production and stabilization of the economy in the regions. You can apply for compensation through the State Agrarian Register.
New demining equipment: Croatia handed over the MV-4 robotic complex to Ukraine
Another important news was the transfer of the MV-4 robotic EOD remote control complex from Croatia to Ukraine. This lightweight tool for remote demining and disposal of explosive ordnance is resistant to the detonation of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance, and also withstands the explosion of an anti-tank mine. MV-4 is capable of demining up to 1,500 m² per hour and is already actively used in Ukraine.
Mechanized demining has already demonstrated its effectiveness. For example, in Croatia, 50% of mined areas were cleared using such means. Robotic complexes not only speed up the demining process, but also significantly increase the safety of sappers.
MV-4 was transferred to the State Service of Special Transport.
Despite the fact that these complexes already exist in state structures thanks to international aid and charitable funds, their number among mine action operators is limited, which reduces the effectiveness of work. The state can facilitate operators by providing more informational support, which will increase donor confidence and improve demining results.
Humanitarian demining
At the forum, as the Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Deminers Association, I voiced two main challenges faced by humanitarian demining operators.
The first challenge is that humanitarian demining is carried out during active hostilities, which is atypical as these operations are usually carried out after the war has ended. This increases the risks for sappers, as the constant danger of active hostilities complicates their activities. In addition, the lack of constant electricity, power and communication complicates the organization and management of the demining process. The logistical support of humanitarian demining operations is also of great importance, which is extremely difficult in the conditions of a large-scale war.
The second challenge is the lack of funding. Funding is critical, but currently Ukrainian operators are not receiving sufficient support. This limits their ability to scale up. For example, the Ukrainian Deminers Association planned to introduce robotic complexes for demining since the time of work in Donbas (since 2019), but due to lack of funds, it still uses manual demining. Financing is needed not only for the purchase of equipment, but also for its operation: personnel training, operating costs, logistics, maintenance, etc. Currently, these costs are significant, but the budget is limited.
To summarize, participation in GLOBSEC-2024 is extremely important for the development of Mine Action in Ukraine. Here you can not only meet potential donors and partners, but also strengthen international cooperation, attract new resources and raise the awareness of the world community about our challenges. This is critical to scaling up demining, bringing us closer to a secure future and restoring stability to the country.
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