Ukraine has decided to limit the planning of new humanitarian demining works on particular territories in six regions near the frontline and the border with Russia. The restrictions concern areas where demining had not yet begun, and do not entail a complete halt to already planned measures.
On 26 October, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced this following an extraordinary meeting of the National Mine Action Authority, chaired by Deputy Minister Vasyl Shkurakov.
The new restrictions apply to certain territories in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions. They concern areas contaminated and likely contaminated with explosive ordnance, located at distances of between 20 and 50 km from the line of combat engagement or the state border with the Russian Federation.
The decision was caused by increased risks for sappers and civilians due to the changed security situation in frontline areas.
Meanwhile, works that had already started are allowed to be completed, provided this creates no additional threats and does not impede the tasks of the Defense Forces. After such territories are cleaned, quality control and documentation of demining results are planned.
By a separate decision, preliminary non-technical survey of communities within 50 km of the frontline and the border with Russia has been suspended. Instead, targeted surveys will be conducted, primarily by state mine action operators. If needed, non-profit non-governmental organisations may be involved.
Exceptions are provided for urgent public needs. Within the 50-km zone, priority will be given to works necessary for evacuating people, conducting rescue operations, ensuring access to shelters, providing medical and humanitarian assistance, and removing immediate threats from explosive ordnance.
Additionally, unplanned humanitarian demining will remain possible based on substantiated requests from regional military administrations, the Humanitarian Demining Centre, or mine action operators. Each such measure will depend on the security situation.
The scale of potential changes had been discussed back in mid-October. As reported by the state portal "Demine Ukraine" on 16 October, the Ministry of Defense's proposal envisaged suspending planning of new works on 2,908 land plots with a total area of 274 sq km. Demining had already been underway on another 702 plots covering 106 sq km.
Those figures concerned a preliminary proposal. In its announcement of the adopted decision, the Ministry of Defense did not specify the final number of land plots affected by the restrictions.
The changes could affect the timelines for returning contaminated territories to economic use, including agricultural land in frontline communities. At the same time, the authorities are trying to avoid situations where already cleared areas become recontaminated due to hostilities.
The decision has no announced expiration date. The Ministry of Defense noted that the organization of demining would be reviewed depending on developments in the security situation.
