Myrotske, Ukraine. Mine clearers near the village of Myrotske are working to make woods and fields safe from mines and unexploded ordnance left behind after Russia occupied the area early in its invasion four years ago. HALO Trust says the scale of contamination means clearance will take many years, though technology is helping to speed the process.
Clearing areas contaminated after occupation
Near Myrotske, around 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Kyiv, a dozen mine clearers moved forward in rows, sweeping metal detectors in time with one another as they searched for mines and unexploded ordnance.
Huge areas of Ukraine are littered with mines and other discarded ordnance after years of fighting. Olena Shustova, media manager for demining charity HALO Trust, said Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world and that it will not be demined in less than 10 years.
HALO began demining operations in the area after a Ukrainian serviceman from a unit stationed nearby stepped on an anti-personnel mine while collecting firewood two years ago, highlighting ongoing dangers away from active front lines.
Shustova said that everywhere there was occupation there are minefields and explosive ordnance. HALO, described as the world’s largest international mine action organisation, employs 1,350 nationals in Ukraine.
Contamination estimates and progress
State-run Demine Ukraine said more than 132,000 square kilometres (50,965 square miles) remain contaminated by mines, an area roughly the size of Greece or the U.S. state of Mississippi. It said nearly 42,000 sq km have been made safe so far.
AI analysis and remote-controlled excavation
HALO Trust has turned to AI to analyse high-resolution drone imagery of contaminated areas and train systems to identify mines and explosive remnants, achieving around 70% accuracy, Shustova said. She said the process may take decades, but advances in technology are helping to accelerate it.
At another demining site north of Kyiv, Oleksandr Liatsevych worked inside a portable steel cage with reinforced windows while using virtual reality glasses and a joystick to guide a customised digger a few metres away. The machine excavated earth containing unexploded ordnance and processed it in a specialised grinder.
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