The first "Demine Ukraine Forum" took place
Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal: No country in the world has faced the level of mine contamination that Ukraine has after World War II. Currently, there are known to be 174,000 square kilometers in need of demining. Since the start of the Russian invasion, 18,000 square kilometers of infrastructure have been cleared. To fully demine Ukraine, it will require $37 billion and over 10,000 deminers. The country currently has only 3,000 experts. Around 40 countries have already allocated $250 million for demining.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko: The budget for 2024 includes UAH 2 billion for compensating agrarians for demining services. In Ukraine, 12,167 households have already been cleared, and there is a 4-year plan for demining. However, due to contamination of agricultural land, agrarians have already lost $31.5 billion since the start of the conflict. The estimated cost of fully demining Ukrainian land could reach $50 billion. Currently, deminers have access to only 21% of the potentially contaminated territory.
There are 16 certified demining operators working in Ukraine, some from abroad, and an additional 29 are undergoing certification, with 40 more in preparation.
Minister of Internal Affairs Igor Klymenko: As of today, only 10% of the contaminated fields have been demined. There are 210 demining teams operating in the country, but Ukraine needs 1.5-2 times more personnel and equipment.