Demining Results 2024: Sappers Reclaim 17,000 km² of Land for Use
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, sappers have reclaimed 35,000 km² of Ukrainian land for use, with approximately 17,000 km² reclaimed in 2024 alone. This was announced by First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
"As of the end of 2024, 35,000 km² of Ukrainian land have been surveyed, cleared, or demined. This area exceeds the size of Odesa Oblast, the largest region in Ukraine. Around 17,000 km² of this land was reclaimed for use in 2024," stated Yuliia Svyrydenko.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy emphasized that, specifically in 2024, Ukrainian sappers returned over 285,000 hectares (2,850 km²) of agricultural land to farmers for use. These areas were prioritized for survey and clearance. In total, pyrotechnic teams inspected more than 318,000 hectares (3,180 km²) of agricultural land over the year. Additionally, there has been significant progress in enhancing the capacity of professionals working in mine action.
"By the end of the year, there are over 200 mechanical demining machines in operation, some of which were manufactured or assembled in Ukraine. A total of 73 mine action operators have been certified, and nearly 5,500 specialists are now working in this field," noted Yuliia Svyrydenko.
Additionally, last year, the Ministry of Economy, together with the Humanitarian Demining Center, launched a market for agricultural land demining services. Engaging private operators, whose work is fully funded by the state, is expected to expedite the clearance of Ukrainian lands.
"We have a transparent system that enables competitive tenders for procuring agricultural land demining services. Farmers do not bear the cost of demining; these expenses are fully covered by the state. The Humanitarian Demining Center has already conducted 50 auctions and signed 47 contracts for demining agricultural lands. Overall savings amounted to over 15%, or 97 million hryvnias. Modeling suggests that once these lands are demined, within 1–2 years, the revenue from harvested grain will match or even exceed the cost of demining," stated Yuliia Svyrydenko.
A key factor behind last year’s positive outcomes was cooperation with partners and substantial support for Ukraine. According to Yuliia Svyrydenko, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, partners have allocated nearly $1.1 billion to support humanitarian demining projects. These funds have been directed toward enhancing mine action capabilities, such as training specialists, fieldwork—including direct demining by international operators—and procuring equipment and machinery.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine highlighted the Sectoral Working Group, which includes around 70 participants, as an effective platform for collaboration with partners.