In an interview with LB.ua Ukrainian First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliya Svyrydenko reported 10% of arable land in Ukraine remains contaminated with explosives.
"In addition to the blockade of sea routes, farmers have faced another problem brought by Russia - the mining of territories. 10% of arable land in Ukraine is potentially contaminated with explosives. The total area of land that needs demining is 144,000 square kilometres," Svyrydenko said.
According to her, thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and joint efforts with partners, experts are gradually demining the areas.
According to the State Emergency Service, in March 2023, the number of mined fields exceeded 470,000 hectares. In February 2024, the area of agricultural land contaminated with explosives decreased to 156 thousand square kilometres.
- In May, sappers cleared and returned almost 30,000 hectares of farmland to farmers. On average, they clear 3,500 to 6,000 hectares per week.