The Work of Ukraine's State Emergency Service
Since the onset of the full-scale war, units from Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES) have cleared approximately 200,000 hectares of the country's territory of landmines and other explosives. This dangerous and painstaking work is critical for ensuring civilian safety and restoring infrastructure damaged by military action. During this period, over 600,000 explosive ordnance items have been safely neutralized.
According to available data, some 133.3 thousand square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, including temporarily occupied areas, are potentially contaminated with explosive hazards. This represents roughly 20% of the nation's total land area. The SES currently employs 2,400 sappers, who are engaged daily in both scheduled clearance operations and emergency response. Their duties encompass a wide range of tasks, from land-based demining to underwater operations.
Modern Technologies in Demining
Sergiy Reva, a representative of the SES, stated: 'In Ukraine, 133.3 thousand square kilometers are potentially contaminated, including the temporarily occupied territories. This is about 20% of the entire territory of the state.'
He also emphasized that 'today, Ukraine can be considered one of the most technologically advanced countries in the field of demining. SES operators use not just metal detectors in their work, but even drones and mechanized demining machines of Ukrainian design. Not every country can afford to produce such machines.'
The work of the SES in Ukraine is vital not only for public safety but also for the recovery of the economy and infrastructure devastated by the conflict. The integration of cutting-edge technologies into the demining process underscores the high level of training and professionalism of Ukrainian sappers. This demining challenge is one of the largest in the world since World War II. With a significant portion of the country still contaminated by explosive remnants of war, the continuation of these efforts remains crucial for the nation's future recovery.
As Ukraine continues its extensive demining operations, understanding how to respond upon encountering unexploded ordnance becomes increasingly important. For those in recently liberated areas, knowing the proper steps to take can ensure personal safety and aid in the ongoing recovery efforts. To learn more about the correct actions when discovering explosive remnants in these regions, visit this informative guide.