Due to long queues for official surveys and farmers' urgent need to sow fields, a large-scale illegal demining market has emerged in Ukraine. According to unofficial farmer estimates, between 50% and 70% of land clearance work in 2023–2024 was performed unofficially.
This was reported by Liga.Business citing LIGA.net, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
During the period when there was no state humanitarian demining system or relevant programs, an impression was created that land clearance would never happen. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Economy for Demining Ihor Bezkaravainyi.
The Ministry of Economy and the Humanitarian Demining Center introduced a program providing 100% compensation for agricultural land clearance costs, yet queues for official inspections are booked for years in advance. At the same time, farmers need to sow their fields immediately to pay rent to landowners and service debts.
Urgent agricultural needs have shaped a clandestine sector of services
The large-scale unofficial demining market is conditionally divided into two segments: the “black” market consisting of individual self-proclaimed sappers offering services for cash, and the “grey” market involving companies or specialists with relevant experience who remain undergoing lengthy state certification. Some farmers even resort to homemade demining methods, such as attaching anti-mine rollers made of scrap metal to tractors.
According to United Nations estimates, Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world. In line with the National Mine Action Strategy, the state aims to return 80% of territories directly affected by the war to productive use by 2033.
Clearing Ukrainian territories will take decades
Croatian demining equipment manufacturer DOK-ING believes that land clearance operations in Ukraine will last for decades. The country remains one of the most heavily contaminated territories globally due to ongoing hostilities.
Illustrative photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / CC BY 4.0
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