Zelenskyy tells of new equipment which helps clear Ukraine from mines

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 300,000 square kilometres were "dangerous territory" at the height of "mine contamination". Since then, around 130,000 square kilometres have been cleared from mines thanks to state-of-the-art equipment used to clear the mines and the heroism of Ukrainian people, and a further 170,000 square kilometres have yet to be cleared.

Source: President Zelenskyy’s video address

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Occupation forces are leaving behind thousands of unexploded mines and munitions.

I often hear estimates that clearing Ukraine from Russian mines will take decades. We can’t wait that long. We have to do in a matter of years what elsewhere in the world could have taken decades after the end of hostilities.

First of all, houses, social facilities, communications and roads – the entire infrastructure essential to people’s lives – are being cleared from mines. But the occupiers are planting mines wherever they can: by power lines, factories and other manufacturing facilities, in fields and forests."

Details: President Zelenskyy stated that "at the peak of mine contamination in Ukraine" 300,000 square kilometres were "dangerous territory"; of those, 170,000 kilometres have yet to be cleared from mines as of today.

Zelenskyy said that it was possible to clear so much territory from mines and other munitions thanks to the "true heroism" of Ukrainian sappers and explosives technicians, rescuers "and everyone who helps them".

He thanked Ukraine’s partners for assisting with mine clearance operations: the US, Canada and the UK, as well as Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Austria, Poland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, and the UN.

He added that everyone who supports Ukraine can make a personal contribution through the United24 fundraising platform.

Quote: "[...] thanks to such aid, we have purchased the first Armtrac 400, the most effective mine clearing vehicle, which is currently operating in Kharkiv Oblast. It can cover 1.5 hectares an hour and fully guarantee the disposal of all mines in that area. Crucially, it is currently clearing the areas along the power lines from mines so that energy workers can fulfil their duties and restore power supply.

We will add more such equipment and speed up the process of clearing our territory from mines everywhere where our flag and our normal Ukrainian life are returning."

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