Solutions to win: Ukraine tests new domestic demining machine capable of clearing 100 meters in 90 seconds

The Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Plant has developed a remotely controlled demining system, Germina URCM-3000, capable of demining up to 5 hectares in one day and withstanding the detonation of an anti-tank mine.

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported this.

What is the problem?

In 2024, the State Emergency Service and the National Police cleared almost 695 sq. km of territory and destroyed more than 133 thousand mines and shells. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, rescuers and law enforcement officers have demined about 2.1 thousand sq. km of Ukrainian land.

In 2025, plans include a technical survey of 31,000 square kilometers for explosive objects and the establishment of a Register of contaminated or potentially contaminated territories.

Currently, there are 73 mine action operators in Ukraine, and a compensation mechanism for farmers covering 100% of demining service costs has been launched. Over 50 agreements have been signed for agricultural lands in four regions. Ukraine has more than 200 demining machines, including domestically produced ones.

What is the solution?

In the Kyiv region, UDS showcased the Germina URCM-3000 demining system during a demonstration event.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

The Ukrainian manufacturer Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Plant PrJSC developed this remotely controlled demining machine.

How does it work?

It is noted that one of the mine action operators is currently working with the first sample in the experimental operation mode, after which the machine will be sent for certification of conformity.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

"Such a machine is a good example of using the manufacturer's technical capabilities, taking into account the experience of Ukrainian sappers. I hope that Germina will successfully pass certification and that we will receive a Ukrainian demining machine with excellent characteristics. More than 60% of its components are Ukrainian-made.

The speed of passing a 100-meter section that we saw today is impressive," Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravainy said.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

With its working mechanism submerged 5 centimeters into the soil, the machine covered a 100-meter section in just 90 seconds.

The passage's width was 2.7 meters. This allowed for surface clearance of a one-hectare area in an hour and five hectares in one shift.

During the demonstration tests, Germina was able to destroy all the training mock-ups of explosive objects laid out on the site, including:

• anti-tank mines TM62 and PTM4,
• anti-personnel high-explosive mine,
• hand grenades.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

The machine used the engine, chassis, and hydraulics of the best European and American manufacturers. It can be remotely controlled from up to one kilometer away.

Eduard Drach, Technical Director of UDS, highlighted that the manufacturer successfully created a machine that:

• has high productivity and cross-country ability,
• is easy to maintain,
• can withstand explosions of up to 10 kilograms of TNT equivalent.

"Such a machine will allow agricultural land to be demined much faster," the specialist is confident.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

In the year's first half, UDS plans to receive five Germina machines from the Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Plant to perform humanitarian demining tasks in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions.

The warranty period is three years. The manufacturer states that the machine in the basic configuration will initially cost 500 thousand euros, which is several times cheaper than foreign analogues.

^{Photo: Ministry of Economy}

For reference:
In August 2023, Ukraine certified the first machine for preparing the soil for demining, which Kharkiv specialists developed. This allowed it to establish its production and use it for demining territories. The equipment is capable of effectively neutralizing anti-personnel and detecting anti-tank mines.

In October of the same year, it became known that Ukraine was testing the ST1 autonomous drone-deminer, which can make the demining process much faster and safer. On average, it works four times faster than a person.

In February 2024, Ukraine introduced the third model of a domestic demining machine, which is not inferior to its best Western counterparts.

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