Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry has declared demining as one of its priority areas of activity

Along with systematic support for national production of weapons and military equipment, the Council is expanding its focus to include humanitarian and military demining, an important and sensitive area for the country.

In this context, the Council defines several key tasks for itself:

• preparation of analytics on the needs and dynamics of demining of Ukrainian territories;

• participation in the formation of a modern regulatory framework in the field of mine action;

• creation of conditions for the dissemination of expertise and exchange of experience;

• support of Ukrainian developers in creating technological solutions for demining.

The Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry is convinced that priority should be given to Ukrainian solutions and technologies. Already, a number of defence companies have experience in demining, but the development of this area requires an open dialogue between the state, manufacturers and the expert community.

There are already companies among Ukrainian defence manufacturers that develop humanitarian demining machines, such as Kharkiv Tractor Plant (KhTP), Intervybukhvprom, Kharkiv Special Machine Plant (KSMP), and Kremenchuk Plant of Road Machines ("Kredmash"). Their many years of experience in building defence equipment allows them to develop effective solutions for clearing areas of explosive ordnance. It is the manufacturers of weapons and military equipment who best understand the requirements for the reliability, safety and functionality of such machines, especially in conditions close to combat. Therefore, it is they who are able to offer practical solutions that meet the current challenges of humanitarian demining.

Special attention will be paid to the issues of water area demining, an extremely complex but critical area that directly affects port security, logistics, the environment and economic activity in coastal regions.

"For us, work in the field of demining is, first and foremost, about responsibility. Demined areas are not only about the safety of people, but also about the possibility of launching economic processes, developing the agricultural sector, infrastructure, and industrial parks. This is where the recovery begins. And that is why we need to combine our experience, knowledge and capabilities to create our own sustainable system of demining solutions," said Ihor Fedirko, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry.

In this area, on 27 March, URA experts took part in a workshop on ‘Modern Challenges and Innovative Approaches in Mine Action’, initiated by the Defence Ministry's Main Directorate for Mine Action, Civil Protection and Environmental Safety with the support of the OSCE.

During the event, which brought together representatives of government agencies, mine action operators and associations, the Council's experts shared their vision of the role of Ukrainian defence companies in overcoming mine action challenges.

"The format of this meeting is exactly what allows us to find practical solutions. We particularly welcome the initiative of the Ministry of Defence to create a training and testing facility to test innovative solutions in the field of mine action. This stimulates Ukrainian developers and gives them room for experimentation and improvement," added Ihor Fedirko.

The Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry is already conducting an in-depth study of the subject of mine clearance, taking into account technological, environmental and legal challenges. The study is scheduled to be published in May this year.