Themes by tag: demining

On December 12-13, a two-day training session will be held in the Kyiv region for veterans with disabilities. Participants will be introduced to the GCS-200 remote-controlled mechanical demining platform with dedicated attachments and observe its operation. Additionally, the course includes practical exercises. The knowledge gained during the training will be beneficial for future employment opportunities.

The practical exercises are part of a course conducted by UNDP in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and with financial support from the Government of Sweden. The initiative aims to enhance employment opportunities for veterans with disabilities by promoting their engagement in humanitarian demining activities. This is one of many initiatives supporting Ukraine’s efforts to clear mines and other explosive remnants of war.

Journalists are welcome to cover the training event by prior arrangement. Accreditation is required to attend.

Background Information: The training is organized by GCS Ukraine LLC in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.

GCS specializes in eliminating explosive threats and restoring safe environments. Combining innovative, proven technologies with field expertise, the company removes landmines and other explosive remnants of war. GCS is an independent company headquartered in Switzerland, with engineering and manufacturing facilities in Germany and regional offices worldwide.

• Kyiv
• demining

Is humanitarian mine action possible in winter? How do snow and freezing temperatures affect the painstaking work of removing deadly explosives? These are the questions many are asking as winter sets in.  

Deminers face extreme challenges in cold weather, but the work doesn’t stop when the first snow falls. Can mines be detected beneath a blanket of snow? How do teams stay warm during long hours in the field? And is it true that some even heat the frozen ground to continue clearing land?  

Journalists now have the chance to witness these operations firsthand. Media visits can be arranged to key regions where HALO Ukraine is actively working, including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Kherson.  

For context: HALO Ukraine is part of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest non-governmental organization dedicated to humanitarian demining. Since russia’s full-scale invasion, they’ve cleared over 6 million square meters of land, ensuring safer ground for thousands of Ukrainians.

• Chernihiv
• Kharkiv
• Kherson
• Kyiv
• Mykolaiv
• demining

Recently, five combatants, including veterans who lost limbs, joined the Ukrainian program of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian demining organization. The soldiers, who defended their country on the front lines, will now work on a remote sensing team, analyzing drone imagery to identify potentially dangerous areas and explosive hazards.

By prior arrangement, journalists can cover the veterans’ work in the Kharkiv and Kyiv regions. 

Background: The HALO Trust is the world’s largest international nonprofit organization specializing in mine clearance and ammunition disposal, with 35 years of experience in 30 countries and territories worldwide.

• military
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv
• demining

Olena Savchenko, 33, once worked as a quality control inspector at a warehouse in Brovary, a town in Kyiv region. Her life took a dramatic turn when a russian missile destroyed her workplace, leaving her without a job. Refusing to be defeated, Olena found new purpose through The HALO Trust Ukraine, inspired by her husband, who has spent the last three years defending Ukraine in the East.

Now, Olena is part of a team dedicated to clearing her homeland of explosive remnants of war, helping make the Kyiv Oblast safer for future generations. Her efforts reflect her hope for a peaceful future, especially for her children.

For context: The HALO Trust Ukraine is the local program of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian demining organization. Active in Ukraine since 2015, the group works alongside Ukrainians to remove the deadly legacy of war.

• women
• Kyiv
• demining

On August 20, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing to discuss the progress made by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) in clearing mines from Ukrainian territories. The briefing will also cover the outcomes of the “Mind the Mines” (Pomichai Zminy) campaign, an initiative aimed at increasing public awareness about the dangers posed by mines and other explosive hazards.

Launched on June 10, 2024, the “Mind the Mines” campaign seeks to educate Ukrainians on how to identify and avoid explosive devices. One key component of this effort is the educational series “Mine Safety,” available on the Diia.Education platform. This series provides critical information on recognizing and responding to potential threats.

Participants: 

• Serhii Reva, Head of the Department for Organizational Work on Humanitarian Demining at the Ukraine’s State Emergency Service;
• Oleksandr Khorunzhiy, Press Officer of the State Emergency Service;
• Ruslana Korenchuk, Project Manager of Diia.Education. 

For reference: As a result of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has become the most heavily mined country in the world. The State Emergency Service estimates that 24% of the nation’s territory, or approximately 144,000 square kilometers, may be contaminated with mines, posing severe risks to civilians. According to the National Mine Action Authority, since the war’s escalation, explosive ordnance have claimed the lives of 303 civilians, including 15 children. Additionally, 703 people have been injured, 81 of whom are children.

• Kyiv
• demining

In Ukraine, a mine countermeasures training project was launched to train people affected by explosive ordnance. As of now, 12 participants have joined the initiative, most of whom are veterans of the russo-Ukrainian war. The training will last three weeks.

During the training, participants will, in particular, learn about various aspects of UAV operation, data collection and analysis. After all, UAV operators are currently required for surveying territories and analyzing aerial photographs.

The goal of the project is to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to promote humanitarian demining in Ukraine with the help of innovative technologies.

The training has already started: the theoretical part will take place in Kyiv, and the field trips will take place in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions.

For reference: The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Program in Ukraine with the participation of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the State Employment Center and the financial support of the Dutch government.

• Kyiv
• demining

At 30 years old, Iryna Nomerovska is a certified economist and the mother of a fifth-grader, Eva. In the spring of 2022, her family was trapped under russian occupation in their hometown of Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine. By a stroke of luck, they managed to escape, evading enemy checkpoints and fleeing toward the Kyiv region. Along the way, Iryna was struck by the extent of the devastation and the proliferation of mine warning signs.

A year later, Iryna returned to Mykolaiv, a city near Kherson, where she joined the HALO Ukraine team. Today, she leads a non-technical survey team, working to identify hazardous areas in her native southern region.

Journalists interested in speaking with Iryna can arrange interviews in the Mykolaiv region.
For reference: The HALO Trust is the world’s largest international non-profit organization dedicated to clearing mines and unexploded ordnance. For 35 years, it has operated in 30 countries and territories.

• occupation
• women
• Mykolaiv
• demining

EOD specialist Anastasiia Kuzminych, who works for the international organization the Halo Trust, met her future husband right on a minefield. Anastasiia and Illia worked on neighboring lines, and during the breaks, Illia helped her to carry heavy objects. Later, they kept in touch and finally got married.

Today, Anastasiia’s husband, Illia Khomiak, is the Head of the Non-Technical Examination Groups, and recently he brought his 22-year-old brother Andrii to the Halo Trust. Andrii works as a paramedic in an EOD unit and is glad that demining has become a family business.

Journalists are welcome to learn more and talk with Anastasiia and Illia in Kharkiv region.

For reference: the Halo Trust is the largest international non-profit organization that has been clearing mines and explosive ordnance in 30 countries and territories around the world for 35 years.

• Kharkiv
• demining

A manicurist, an IT expert, a doctor, a finance major, a private entrepreneur, a confectioner or a dancer — this is just a part of the list of professions of Ukrainians working with The Halo Trust international organization. People with a background in various industries take specialized courses and become deminers, that is, they detect and mark explosive objects. Deminers are paid for their work.

As of now, a total of 1,200 Ukrainians are involved in demining efforts in 6 regions: Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kherson. Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, 19,000 mines and explosive objects have been discovered with the efforts of The Halo Trust. Three million square meters of territory was cleared of mines (an equivalent of 300 football fields).

Journalists can learn more about the work of The Halo Trust in Ukraine and cover its activities.

For reference: According to the State Emergency Service, 30% of the territory of Ukraine is contaminated by mines.

• demining

EOD specialists of the Municipal Guard of Irpin community can now demine not only land contaminated by explosives, but also local bodies of water. They will do it with an underwater drone. It can descend to a depth of 150 meters and examine the bottom without endangering divers.

A local resident helped to raise funds and purchase a drone. In this way, she wanted to thank the EOD specialists who neutralized the mine in her yard.

In addition, two EOD specialists of the Municipal Guard have already completed a two-month training course for divers at the Kyiv State Maritime School. The priority plans are to clear the local quarry, where russian shells landed during last year’s fighting in Kyiv region.

By prior agreement, journalists are welcome to cover how EOD specialists work with an underwater drone.

For reference: 40 days after the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, the specialists of the EOD Department of Municipal Guard, public utility service under the Irpin City Council began demining the territory of the community. The land is cleared by local residents who have undergone training and mastered the EOD profession. (Among them are, in particular, war veterans, former special forces, and retired sappers). Over the course of their work, the team discovered 1,000 artillery shells and mortar mines, more than 100 tripwire grenades and about 1,000 anti-tank mines.

• Kyiv
• demining