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OVERVIEW
Ukraine is currently considered one of the countries most contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in the world. The Government of Ukraine (GoU) estimates that 174,000km2 (or nearly 29%) of Ukraine’s territory needs to be surveyed for contamination (GoU 20/04/2023; SIPRI 16/11/2023; HALO et al. 13/11/2023). Landmine contamination in Ukraine was already a concern even before the conflict started in 2014. The conflict escalation since February 2022 has resulted in the more widespread use of landmines and other explosive ordnance (EO), contaminating new territories, including agricultural regions in the south and east (LCMM 02/02/2011; HRW 13/06/2023; Ukrinform 25/05/2023; SIPRI 16/11/2023).
Russia’s armed forces have been extensively using antipersonnel mines (APMs) on Ukrainian territory. Russia has used at least 13 different APM types since 2014, including a recently developed variant with a sensor fuse that is exceedingly difficult to clear safely. Russian forces have also sown improvised mines upon retreating from occupied territory (HRW 13/06/2023 and 30/06/2023).
Ukraine also used APMs in 2022, specifically in Izium city while it was under Russian control, but the Ukrainian authorities cleared some of the contamination soon after. In the same year,
Ukraine disposed of several thousand pieces of EO, including landmines, and pledged to investigate its use of APMs (HRW 13/06/2023 and 30/06/2023).
Mines and EO pose a threat to civilian lives and wellbeing, causing injuries and deaths and preventing people from accessing infrastructure, homes, land, and roads (SIPRI 16/11/2023). According to Save the Children, in the year of conflict following the February 2022 escalation, approximately 12% of verified mine and EO casualties were children (STC 04/04/2023). The number of people in need of prosthetics since February 2022 is unavailable, but estimates suggest that at least 15,000 people have lost their limbs, with numbers continuing to grow (BBC 21/09/2023). Landmine contamination also contributes to agricultural losses (UCAB 22/03/2023; EPravda 07/03/2023). As at April 2023, 10% of agricultural land in Ukraine was contaminated, preventing the sowing of five million hectares of land (SIPRI 16/11/2023; Landlord 07/01/2023; KSE 08/2023).