11:44 06.12.2024

Almost $38 bln needed in next 10 years to demine priority areas

2 min read
Almost $38 bln needed in next 10 years to demine priority areas

About 139,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory remain mined today, almost $38 billion will be needed to demine priority areas in the next 10 years, said Svitlana Hrynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

"The total area of ​​potentially mined territories today is about 139,000 square kilometers… According to the World Bank, demining costs somewhere between $2 and $8 per square meter. And if we calculate the lands that we have identified as priorities for demining for 10 years, then this is almost $38 billion," her words are quoted in a message on the ministry's Telegram channel.

According to Hrynchuk, mined forest resources currently amount to about 4,500 square kilometers, 10% was demined during 2023-2024. "These are the territories that were liberated," the minister emphasized.

She noted that nature conservation areas are also heavily mined, especially those located in frontline regions. Over the year, thanks to the solidarity of partners and internal resources, Ukraine has returned almost 35,500 square kilometers of its land to exploitation.

The minister emphasized that the demining process itself will take a very long time. The use of advanced technologies will help speed it up, but it will still take tens and even hundreds of years.

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