Mine clearance: over 200,000 hectares of agricultural land put back into use since beginning of the year
Pravda Ukraine
Ukraine’s and non-governmental operators’ bomb disposal units have inspected and brought back into use over 200,000 hectares of agricultural land since the beginning of the year.
Source: Ukrainian Economy Ministry’s press service
Quote: “Our bomb disposal experts from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, State Transport Special Service and non-governmental mine action operators are performing very well. We are inspecting 3,000 to 5,000 hectares of agricultural land every week, even now, in winter, when the weather is not favourable for working in the fields, to put it mildly.
So far, over 200,000 hectares of the 470,000 hectares of land that we have planned to survey and clear of mines as a matter of priority have been brought back to farmers,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister of Ukraine.
The official added that the government and international partners are committed to strengthening operators’ capacity and the strategic planning of all stakeholders in mine action for the next 10 years.
Svyrydenko added that the ultimate goal is to bring up to 80% of the country’s territories currently considered potentially contaminated back into safe use.
The oblast military administrations reported that as of 15 December, 268,600 hectares of agricultural land had been surveyed since the beginning of the year, out of about 470,000 hectares planned for priority survey and clearance.
About 205,000 hectares of these have been put back into operation. Over 5,000 hectares were inspected last week. Most of them – 3,800 hectares – are located in Kherson Oblast.
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