Solutions to win: Ukraine to increase number of sappers to 5,000

By the end of next year, the government's plan envisages the training of 5,000 sappers and pyrotechnicians for demining territories.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, stated this.

What is the problem?

As a result of hostilities, Ukraine became the most mined country in the world; the area of the de-occupied territory contaminated by mines is now about 45,000 square kilometers, and with the complete de-occupation of the territory of Ukraine, it will increase by approximately 190,000 square kilometers.

According to the State Emergency Service data, the Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Donbas regions are the most mined. It will take at least ten years to clear these areas.

What is the solution?

The government's plan envisages the training of 5,000 sappers and pyrotechnicians for demining territories by the end of next year.

How does it work?

"The government plans to train 5,000 of our sappers and pyrotechnicians by the end of next year. And, of course, it [this plan — ed.] also aims to equip our servicemen and rescue workers who demine every day with automobile and special transport and appropriate equipment," Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said during the ceremony of handing over from the Japanese side a batch of humanitarian aid for Ukrainian rescuers.

According to the minister, sappers must be able to move quickly and transport the appropriate equipment.

"And, of course, we must first save their lives and health together. We are winning and fighting. But at the same time, of course, we must ensure all our citizens' safety," Klymenko said.

For reference:

As of October, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, three thousand sappers have been trained in Ukraine, although at the beginning of the year, there were half as many.

There are also 29 demining machines.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russian troops, 21 sappers of the State Emergency Service have been killed, and another 77 have been injured.

As reported, on November 20, Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Kiyoto Tsuji, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kazuchika Iwata, and representatives of Japanese business. At the meeting, it was reported that Japan plans to allocate 160 million euros to support Ukraine's economic recovery projects.

Moreover, Japan provided 40 vehicles and demining equipment to the pyrotechnic units, which are directly involved in clearing the Ukrainian land of mines and unexploded shells.