Nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s territory contaminated with explosives, SES officials say

More than 136,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, roughly 23% of the country’s territory, remain contaminated with explosives, according to the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine.

The figure was shared during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine by Serhii Reva, head of the Department for Organizational Work on Humanitarian Demining at the Ukraine’s SES. 

“About 23% of our country is contaminated with explosive ordnance, it’s 136,000 square kilometers,” Reva said. “However, this includes occupied and de-occupied territories, the front line, and the demarcation line. Not all of these territories are currently accessible for clearance, only about 30,000 square kilometers can be demined.”

Ukraine remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, with large swaths of farmland, forests, and residential areas posing a threat to civilians and slowing reconstruction efforts.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news