Ukraine’s Defense Ministry demining teams eliminated 4,599 explosive objects over past week

Over the past week, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry demining units cleared a total area of 15 hectares and disposed of 4,599 explosive objects, as reported in a Facebook post by the Ministry.

In spring 2023, there were approximately 500 demining teams or up to 5,000 military engineers/deminers working in Ukraine. At this rate, it would take around 20 years to clear 4,700 km². Assuming all 174,000 km² of Ukrainian territory affected by combat is contaminated, it would take 757 years to clear all affected areas with such a human resource capacity.

“Ukraine is the most potentially mine-contaminated country in the world since the Second World War. A third of its territory, covering up to 174,000 square kilometers, is potentially under threat,” Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said last October.