Ukraine clears 20% of mine-contaminated farmland liberated from Russian forces

Russia's ongoing invasion left 30% of Ukraine contaminated with mines. Large-scale demining, aided by international support, aims to restore farmland.

Nov 17, 2024 - 18:00

Ukraine clears 20% of mine-contaminated farmland liberated from Russian forces

Ukrainian Zmii demining vehicle. Photo credit: Rover Tech.

Ukraine has made significant progress in clearing mine-contaminated agricultural lands, with about 20% of affected areas now restored to usable condition, Bloomberg reports. Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko told reporters in October, “We are now knocking on every door, talking about money, equipment — any possible way to support us.”

In the course of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russian forces might have contaminated some 30% of Ukraine’s territory, or about 174,000 square kilometers – an area larger than Greece, with mines and unexploded ordnance, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Ukraine’s chaotic and undocumented Russian-laid mines pose major challenges, with sappers warning demining efforts could take a century.

Reporting from Mykolayiv Oblast, Bloomberg says the impact on the region is substantial, as clearing just one hectare of farmland can yield four additional tons of grain. Complete demining of the region could potentially add 3 million tons to production, equivalent to Ukraine’s total grain exports in October.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation has emerged as a major contributor since 2022, providing technological solutions and machinery. Howard Buffett, Warren Buffett’s son, told Bloomberg in Kyiv:

“A lot of the senior leadership have said it’s the way that we can help farmers and the economy recover.”

International support has been significant, with Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Japan contributing approximately $1 billion in demining aid. By year-end, Japanese-made equipment will constitute a third of all demining machines in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The initiative helps farmers like Inna Boiko, whose 50,000-hectare farm in southern Ukraine was heavily impacted by nine months of Russian occupation. While most of her land has been restored for planting, about 10% remains heavily contaminated.

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