A priority for the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the integrated development of the capabilities of all organs of the system involved in demining, - Mary Akopian
This was stated today, December 9, by Deputy Minister of the Interior Mary Akopian during a briefing at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Center.
In Ukraine, almost 30% of the territory is contaminated with explosive objects. The units of the State Emergency Service examine about 70 hectares during the day. However, Ukraine has not enough resources to solve this issue.
“Today, about 174 thousand square kilometers of the territory of Ukraine remain polluted, this is about 30% of the territory. Since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of our territory pyrotechnics, only the SNS have been involved 38 thousand times and defused almost 300 thousand explosive objects, in particular 2,155 aircraft bombs. The units of the National Police Explosive Service examined about 15 thousand hectares, 150 thousand explosive objects were seized, another 24 thousand explosive objects were defused within the framework of the work of the National Police and the National Guard. Therefore, for us, the priority is the comprehensive development of the capabilities of all the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system involved in demining,” said Mary Akopian.
The Deputy Minister said that a donor conference was held at the Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Demining in Switzerland, where international partners were informed in detail about what is happening in Ukraine, what are our forecasts for demining, what challenges our sappers and pyrotechnics are facing. Based on the results of the meetings with partners and potential donors, a road map was formed to ensure further coordination of national and international efforts to clean the war-affected territories of Ukraine.
“We discussed with the US delegation the development of a training center on demining, additional financial assistance for equipment for clearing areas, $94 million for 2023. As part of the project, the National Police has already received 2 exchange machines. Canada is sending $15 million to the demining of Ukraine. We are talking about the purchase of specialized equipment of the State Emergency Service, as well as the overall development of the country's capabilities in this area. We are actively discussing the next aid package,” said Mary Akopian.
In addition, a demining support program has been agreed with Japanese partners, in particular, the provision of equipment and equipment for the needs of the State Emergency Service, $15 million for 2023. An agreement has been reached to train our pyrotechnicians in Cambodia. With the assistance of Norway, Ukrainian pyrotechnic units will be additionally equipped, NPA will deploy demining units in Ukraine - approval procedures in accordance with the legislation are ongoing.
We also have confirmed amounts of assistance to support projects on the minesweeping of Ukraine for next year from the UK, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy and the European Union as a whole.
“So from the beginning of 2023, we will be able to move faster on the issue of humanitarian demining, help from foreign partners will begin to arrive,” said Mary Akopian.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
