Strengthening Ukraine’s Humanitarian Demining Capacity
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has faced extensive contamination from mines and explosive remnants of war, affecting an estimated 132,000 square kilometres of land, as well as 14,000 square kilometres of water areas, most of which are inland waters essential for transport and agriculture. Clearing these areas is critical for civilian safety, economic activity and long term recovery.
Ukraine’s international partners, through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), support efforts to strengthen the capacity of the State Special Transport Service (SSTS), one of the key national actors leading humanitarian demining, by providing access to the highly specialised equipment required for effective clearance operations on land and under water.
As part of this support, PFRU has delivered a package of specialised equipment to enhance the SSTS’s capacity for humanitarian demining. The package includes four pickup trucks and four minibuses, four inflatable boats equipped with engines and echo sounders, as well as the necessary trailers and boat carriers for them.
During the official handover ceremony, the Ambassador of Finland to Ukraine, Tarja Fernández, emphasised the importance of combining international efforts and resources to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity in humanitarian demining, which is essential for safeguarding civilian safety as well as the safety of the personnel carrying out demining operations. The Ambassador noted that providing specialised equipment to the SSTS is a vital contribution to enhancing its ability to restore access to territories and critical water resources affected by explosive hazards.
The Counsellor of the Embassy of Canada, Walter Bernyck, underlined that Canada stands alongside Ukraine in defending its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and highlighted Canada’s support for restoring access to critical water resources through underwater demining.
The Deputy Head of the SSTS, Rostyslav Sorochuk, expressed gratitude to the international partners of Ukraine for their support, noting that this specialised equipment will significantly strengthen the SSTS’s ability to conduct underwater humanitarian demining, enabling four new demining teams and accelerating operations where they are most urgently needed.
PFRU remains committed to ensuring that its assistance is targeted, timely, and aligned with the real needs of Ukrainian institutions working every day to protect communities and support recovery.
