Over five million civilians live in mine-contaminated areas in Ukraine – defense ministry official

Ukraine's 174,000 square kilometers are contaminated with Russian mines and explosive devices, says Oleh Shuvarsky, Head of the Mine Action Department of the Defense Ministry.

Over 5 million Ukrainians live in mine-contaminated areas, he said during a briefing on demining equipment.

Today, Ukraine is one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. More than 5 million Ukrainians live in contaminated areas and are exposed to the mine threat every day, emphasized Shuvarsky.

The situation with contamination in Ukraine is a challenge that European countries have not faced since World War II.

According to the State Emergency Service, the timeline for demining the entire territory can only be predicted after the war is over. However, the priority demining, including agricultural land, can be completed within five years.

Serhii Reva, Head of the Department for Organizing Humanitarian Demining, shared this opinion with Radio Liberty.

According to the experience of performing tasks in the de-occupied territories, in a year or two we carry out priority measures on critical infrastructure facilities, public roads in settlements and move on to farmland that needs to be demined so that farmers can start their work and our economy can recover, the official said.

Ukraine plans to clear 80% of potentially contaminated areas in 10 years. The Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) has set up an international charity fund, which aims to help farmers clear their fields of mines and be able to sow and grow grain again.