Ukraine Context

According to Soil Metamorphosis: Ukrainian study of war impacts on soils (Valeria Kolodezhna, April 28, 2023), “…roughly 40% of Ukraine’s territory (which is larger than the UK) is covered in minefields.

HALO (https://www.halotrust.org/ downloaded 06 Nov 2023) is the largest global demining organization and has been operating in Ukraine since at least 2016 in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and in response to separatist hostilities in the eastern regions of Kramatorsk and Mariupol. According to HALO, “Landmines, cluster bombs, and other explosives inflict appalling injuries that have a devastating impact on people’s futures. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, HALO has recorded over 1,000 civilian casualties from mines and [other] unexploded ordinances (UXOs) and around 300 fatalities, with another 9,000 accidents forecast according to the Ukrainian Government…HALO’s Ukrainian staff have conducted mine clearance in the eastern regions of Kramatorsk and Mariupol since 2016, and recently around Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson.”

The Ukrainian government has established a Mine Action Authority to develop a national strategy and approach to demining.  It is tri-chaired by the Minister of Economy, Minister of Infrastructure, and the Minister of Defense. The Department of Environmental Safety and Mine Action within the Ukraine Ministry of Defense is responsible for approving or developing methods for assessing and clearing mines and other UXOs, and for procuring the services of demining organizations. The Ukraine State Transport Special Service (STSS), similar to the US Army Corps of Engineers, is responsible for restoring transport services and conducting demining operations. The STSS has established a Mine Action Center and is in the process of growing its organic capability and capacity to clear mines and UXO.  Their demining priorities are infrastructure, transportation, and military sites. The above information is what was available at the time of this writing from the Halo website and personal communications with Col. Blair Schantz, US Army Retired (December 11 and 31, 2023). It may indicate a somewhat dynamic situation at the national level, at present.

International Best Practices

According to Kolodezhna (2023), “On average, it takes one day to clear one hectare of mines. Therefore, scientists rely now more than ever on geographic information technology: satellite imagery and their analysis.” More specifically, these assessment and planning tools include drones and other remote sensing platforms, GIS mapping tools, and conflict databases. Actual demining equipment includes armored excavators, tillers, rotary mine combs, and remote-controlled clearance vehicles. Otherwise, there are no other technological advances that can expedite the painstakingly slow demining process.

According to Col. Blair Schantz, who is also a member of the US Society of American Military Engineers, neither the US Army Engineer Regiment nor the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have any specific guidance for post-conflict demining programs.  The US Army Engineer Regiment is a military organization with military manning (98%), and chiefly responsible for battlefield mine-clearing operations with organic capabilities.  USACE is a predominantly civilian organization (98%) and does not possess organic demining capabilities. USACE administers contracts for some demining activities but also does not have any specific guidance for post-conflict demining programs. In general, the US Army's approach to mine clearing and UXO follows a military Explosive Ordinance Disposal approach, which is not a holistic post-conflict, community-based rehabilitation planning approach.

Recommended Demining Methodology

Unified National Program

Ukraine needs a unified strategy that clearly identifies priorities for demining resources.  The national priorities should be based on “return on effort” that supports local towns, villages, and agricultural sites. Rural towns and villages will want to begin reconstruction as soon as possible and must be educated on the potential mine/UXO hazards and assisted in demining activities. The national strategy should also include mine and UXO disposal guidance, as the current destroy-in-place approach will scatter an enormous amount of debris and lead to environmental hazards.

Community Planning Methodology

The following seven-step methodology for a community planning-based demining program has been developed by urban and territorial planners informed and guided by descriptions of demining processes on HALO’s website (downloaded December 6, 2023).

1. Conduct a preliminary assessment of the extent and density of mines and other UXOs in the community, including which economic sectors and land uses are affected, and estimate the severity of adverse human safety and health, socio-economic, and environmental risks and impacts. Prepare a map and associated text document explaining the damage and risks to use in advocating for government and/or international donor assistance.

2. Communicate and coordinate with the national authorities who are responsible for approving or developing methods for assessing and clearing mines and other UXOs, and for procuring the services of demining organizations. Confirm the organizational experience, funding, staffing, and staff training (deminers, risk education teachers), as well as the availability of planning tools (drones and other remote sensing platforms, GIS mapping tools, and conflict databases) and demining equipment (armored excavators, tillers, rotary mine combs, remote-controlled clearance vehicles), of the organization assigned or recommended for use by the community.

3. Work with the Ministry-assigned or recommended demining organization to organize a widespread and ongoing social media campaign and training of community residents on how to stay safe in terms of what areas and activities to avoid until the mines can be removed.

4. Work with the demining organization, using their remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) tools, to confirm and further elaborate the preliminary assessment of the locations and density of mines and other UXOs, and to identify and set priorities among economic sectors, community institutions and services, and land uses – both originally and planned as part of rebuilding – and therefore specific areas to be addressed, in what order, and on what schedule. Note that every community will have its own specific and complex set of circumstances in terms of both the types and extent of mines and other UXOs as well as affected sectors, land uses, etc.

5. In addition to the clearing of mines and other UXOs before reusing demolition debris as construction materials or land for agriculture or other uses, carefully evaluate, mitigate, and monitor the short- and long-term risks of leaving in place and/or using soil and building materials contaminated with the byproducts of detonated explosive devices, e.g., heavy metals. This calls for finding other ways of clearing mines and other UXOs aside from destroying them in place and for a more systematic and thorough consideration of the suitability of reusing demolition debris as construction materials for rebuilding. In addition, it is critical that suitable locations and methods for final disposal of contaminated materials be pursued. (See the section on hazardous waste and debris management below.)

6. The assessment should take into account plans for attracting the emigrated residents by providing housing and employment opportunities, and for building back better, which in turn may require restoration of regional transportation facilities.

7. Work with the demining organization to train suitable and consenting community residents to support the demining process, thus providing paying jobs.

8. Regularly observe and monitor the progress and effectiveness of the demining process provide regular feedback to the demining organization and community, and follow up on issues by recommending corrective action by the parties associated with the problems identified.