Ukraine creates 10 new battalions for mine clearance in liberated territories

Ukraine has established ten new mine action battalions in 2024 to clear liberated territories of explosive devices.

Source: Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster, citing Colonel Oleh Shuvarskyi, Head of the Mine Action Department of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry

Details: Shuvarskyi said these units are currently undergoing certification as mine action operators and their technical capabilities are expanding thanks to support from international partners.

The number of mechanised mine action vehicles in Ukraine has increased from two at the beginning of 2024 to 52, with 42 assigned to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 10 to the State Special Transport Service. Further increases in the number of vehicles for mine clearance are planned for 2025.

Quote: "We are negotiating with international partners regarding the supply of additional equipment, which will be a critical element of humanitarian mine clearance."

Details: The current fleet primarily consists of foreign equipment, such as Docking, Bažena, GCS and Scan Jack, alongside domestically produced vehicles from the Kharkiv plant.

Shuvarskyi emphasised that clearing liberated areas from mines remains a challenging task due to changes in Russian army tactics. The Russian forces have been employing unconventional mining methods, such as random mine placement, anti-personnel mines with plastic casings  and mines with electromagnetic fuses. Particularly dangerous are PFM-1S anti-personnel mines, which are frequently dropped by drones in populated areas, posing a severe risk to civilians.

Ukraine's security and defence units have cleared over 500,000 square kilometres of land and destroyed over 800,000 explosive devices since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

A total of 10 new mine action battalions were established in 2024 and are currently undergoing certification as humanitarian mine action operators.

The Defence Ministry also plans to increase the number of qualified bomb disposal experts by involving veterans who are unable to perform combat tasks but can contribute to humanitarian mine clearance efforts. These veterans will assist in analysing satellite imagery, educating the public and conducting technical land surveys.

Ukraine achieved significant progress in mine clearance efforts in 2024 while facing new challenges. The 2025 plan includes further enhancement of technical capacity and the involvement of specialists to ensure safety in liberated territories.

Background: According to government data, the number of certified mine action operators in Ukraine has reached almost 70, while the number of bomb disposal experts has exceeded 4,000. Moreover, more than 150 pieces of specialised mine action vehicles are in operation in Ukraine.

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