2023-11-22
Ukraine: the world's biggest minefield
According to the Ukrainian government, around 174,000 km2 of the
country's territory potentially requires demining. This is almost a
third of Ukraine's total area. Although this estimate seems to be
exaggerated, the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance in vast
swathes of the country's territory, mainly in its eastern and southern
part, is a real problem. According to official reports, since the
launch of the full-scale war with Russia, 261 individuals have died
due to mines and other explosives. According to the Ukrainian
leadership, almost six million Ukrainians live in territories at risk
of mine-related incidents. Russian troops have deliberately deployed
mines on Ukrainian farmland, and both the Russian and Ukrainian
military have scattered them in the littoral waters. This prevents
agricultural work and hinders the export of Ukrainian goods which, in
turn, aggravates the crisis affecting the Ukrainian economy.
According to World Bank estimates, the total cost of Ukraine's
demining effort stands at almost $38 bn. Due to the magnitude of this challenge, Kyiv is unable to fund it on its own. Therefore, it has
stepped up endeavours to obtain equipment, personnel and financial
support from foreign partners.
https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2023-11-22/ukraine-worlds-biggest-minefield
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