Ukraine has become the country with the world's largest mine-contaminated territory. This estimation was given by the deputy head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Roman Prymush. The SES estimated that the complete removal of mines from Ukrainian land and water areas would require almost a decade.
"At least 5 years will be needed to clear the Ukrainian land of mines, while the work in water areas can take a whole decade," he said.
The SES speaker, Oleksandr Khorunzhyi, said in June that, according to the most optimistic prognosis, the clearance of Ukraine of mines will take around 10 years. However, he added that no full information is available about the situation in the Ukrainian territories controlled by the Russians.
At the briefing of the Ministry of Interior in June, the required time was also said to be estimated at 5 to 10 years. According to the speaker of the Ministry, Alona Matvieieva, "around 104 thousand square miles have to be cleared of mines in Ukraine, including the territories occupied by the Russians." However, the ministry intends to perform operational demining for a year after the end of hostilities in Ukraine.
Context. According to the Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.K., Vadym Prystaiko, London will give Ukraine two minesweeping vessels in the near future.
According to the State Emergency Service, the most common explosive devices contaminating the territory of Ukraine include aerial bombs and missiles, artillery shells, hand grenades, cluster munitions, boony traps, and various types of mines. The Service has launched an online map of territories possibly contaminated with explosive devices.
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