Ukraine most heavily mined country, desperate for help clearing mines: Defence minister

After months of Ukrainian coutneroffensive and Russian defence, Ukraine has become the world's most extensively mined nation, as stated by its defence minister. In an interview with The Guardian, Oleksii Reznikov revealed that millions of explosive devices have been strategically positioned along a frontline spanning approximately 600 miles. Notably, certain sections of this frontline exhibit as many as five mines within each square meter, he added.

While certain mines have been strategically placed by Ukrainian forces to safeguard their defensive positions, the overwhelming majority of these mines are of Russian origin.

Oleksii Reznikov added, “Russian minefields are a serious obstacle for our troops, but not insurmountable," he said.

"We have skilled sappers and modern equipment, but they are extremely insufficient for the front that stretches hundreds of kilometres in the east and south of Ukraine.”

The issue of demining Ukraine has already been a subject of conversation among allies. In a gathering of 54 nations in July, there was consensus to provide Ukraine with additional specialized mine-clearing units through training and equipment.

The defence minister emphasised that while this meeting facilitated donations, there is an urgent requirement for further support from a broader array of partners.

“At this stage of our de-occupation campaign we critically need more mine clearance equipment, from minesweeping trawls to Bangalore torpedoes,” he said.

Reznikov also made a plea to Kyiv's allies, urging them to intensify their backing in demining efforts within the country. He specifically called on them to enhance and accelerate the training provided to the Ukrainian military.

Among the nations contributing to this cause, the UK has taken part by furnishing bomb disposal experts for instructional purposes. In July this year, officers from UK's Royal Navy conducted training sessions with their Ukrainian counterparts at Loch Ewe in northwest Scotland, imparting underwater bomb defusal techniques.

Would take a decade to decontaminate the country: Expert

Pete Smith, who serves as the Ukraine program manager for the mine-clearing non-governmental organization Halo and previously held a position as an officer overseeing all explosive ordnance disposal resources within the British army, spoke to The Guardian remarking that the extent of mine contamination in Ukraine was "unrecognisable in modern history".

He said, “What we’re witnessing is the heaviest landmine and unexploded ordnance sort of contamination seen certainly in Europe since the second world war.

“There’s considerable evidence of large linear minefields. The other day one walked along a 1.5km minefield with a TM-62 mine placed every 1 metre and that’s just one small part of Mykolaiv [a region in south Ukraine].

“Those were areas that were reoccupied by Ukraine quite quickly. Now, across that 1,000km frontline, and then layers and layers of minefields behind that, is something that has been quite unrecognisable in modern history.”

Smith pointed out that Ukraine's understaffed sapper units are confronted with an extensive variety of mine types within the battlefield.

“And of course, there’s strong evidence of Russian forces booby-trapping mines and other bits and pieces to prevent the military themselves actually clearing the landmines, and that of course leaves the next few problems for organisations like ourselves,” he said.

According to Smith, even with a workforce of 10,000 individuals dedicated to mine clearing, it would require a decade to fully decontaminate the country. Currently, Halo has around 900 mine clearers, predominantly sourced from local communities, actively working in Ukraine. The organisation aims to increase this number to 1,200 trained experts operating within the country by the conclusion of this year.