Russia's full-scale invasion might have turned Ukraine into the world's largest minefield.
As of March 2025, Ukraine’s mine-affected land spans an estimated 139,000 sq. kilometers — or 23% of its territory — masking extra floor than all of Greece and posing an immense risk to civilian life and restoration efforts.
Clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance is important to stopping civilian casualties and enabling the secure use of land and infrastructure, fostering the nation's restoration and future improvement.
Demining in Ukraine is primarily carried out by the State Emergency Service and the Armed Forces, with each worldwide and home non-governmental organizations contributing to the hassle.
The world's largest demining non-governmental group, the HALO Belief, has operated in Ukraine since 2015 and scaled up its efforts after the full-scale invasion started.
The HALO Belief has cleared almost 7.9 million sq. meters of land and positioned over 41,000 items of unexploded ordnance since Feb. 24, 2022.
The group has grown from a small crew of 400 in Kramatorsk, a front-line metropolis in Donetsk Oblast, to a workforce of 1,500 individuals working in eight areas throughout Ukraine.
The Kyiv Unbiased spoke with James Cowan, the CEO of HALO Belief, in regards to the group's ongoing effort to rid Ukraine of landmines, his evaluation of how lengthy it would take, and what new expertise might revolutionize the method.
Editor's notice: This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
The Kyiv Unbiased: How would you describe the size of landmine contamination in Ukraine right now, and the way does it evaluate to different battle zones you've labored in?
James Cowan: The HALO Belief has existed since 1988. We’re the world's largest NGO that clears landmines, so we learn about different areas of the world.
That is the largest landmine problem since World Conflict II.
Except it's executed shortly, it's going to take a whole lot of years.
James Cowan within the park after the interview in Kyiv, Ukraine on Might 15, 2025.(Elena Kalinichenko/The Kyiv Unbiased)
The closest instance is the minefield between North and South Korea — it's 178 kilometers lengthy. Ukraine's entrance line is 1,000 kilometers lengthy, and that’s not the one contamination.
There are landmines effectively inside free Ukraine and landmines effectively inside Russian-controlled elements of Ukraine.
The Kyiv Unbiased: Are you able to describe how your crew operates in Ukraine — which areas you're energetic in, and what the method seems like from detection to elimination when a mine or unexploded ordnance is discovered?
James Cowan: There are three models: one within the north, one within the northeast, and one within the south. We need to increase additional, and when it’s doable, we’d be joyful to assist Ukraine clear much more elements of the nation.
We now have survey groups that verify the contamination and are additionally attempting to shrink the world to absolutely the minimal. We then herald our groups to conduct the clearance.
That is an space the place there could possibly be enchancment. We work in international locations like Afghanistan, which is mountainous; in international locations like Cambodia, which is jungle; and in international locations like Angola, which is African bush. In these locations, mechanical strategies should not straightforward to make use of. However in Ukraine, there are open fields — a number of the finest agricultural land on the earth. They’re essentially the most appropriate and optimized setting for mechanical clearance.
We now have mechanical diggers, however we're not allowed to deploy them as a result of authorization could be very gradual. We’d ask the Ukrainian authorities to hurry that up as a result of at present, it is extremely bureaucratic and takes too lengthy. We want to have the ability to use all of the belongings out there.
Ukraine doesn’t need to be like Afghanistan, the place HALO has labored since 1988 and continues to be working.
The Kyiv Unbiased: Why is it so troublesome to hurry up the method?
James Cowan: Each nation has its personal forms. Typically, authorities officers aren't as entrepreneurial as these within the personal sector. However it will be good to see extra velocity. This isn’t a aware resolution however extra a bureaucratic inertia.
However Ukraine must act as a result of its land is roofed in landmines. With out motion, Ukraine can't export its grain, open its roads, or deliver its inhabitants again. Except it's executed shortly, it's going to take a whole lot of years.
The Kyiv Unbiased: Given the continued ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, do you assume demining must also be a part of the talks?
James Cowan: If a ceasefire occurs, that’s the inflection level. It’s the level at which everybody's efforts transfer from a battle to a defensive posture, through which, after all, Ukraine's military will proceed to guard the sovereignty of their nation. Nonetheless, the civilian effort will transfer towards reconstruction and away from the combating.
At that second, Ukraine's precedence can be to restart its economic system, get all that land that hasn't been farmed for 3 or 4 years again into use, and permit communities to return to their properties. And it's not nearly large-scale farming — it's additionally about native, small-scale agriculture. Some individuals haven't been capable of develop greens, elevate goats or sheep, or use their cows and donkeys. They want entry to their land once more.
It's additionally about reopening roads, faculties, retailers, and factories. All this stuff should be cleared (from mines), and the entire economic system must be helped to rise up and going.
There’s lots of emphasis on the mineral deal, however you’ll be able to't mine for minerals with out demining for landmines.
The Kyiv Unbiased: If the battle have been to finish tomorrow, wouldn’t it be sensible to completely clear all mines in Ukraine inside the subsequent 10 years?
James Cowan: If the battle have been to cease tomorrow alongside the present entrance line, it wouldn't be doable to clear landmines on the Russian-occupied facet, regardless of it being sovereign Ukrainian territory, until Russia permits it.
Combining synthetic intelligence with imagery is a key improvement.
Relating to territory beneath Ukrainian management, whether or not all landmines could be cleared inside 10 years stays open — however I imagine it's doable. If Ukraine applies the identical stage of innovation and vitality to mechanizing demining because it has to advancing drone expertise, then sure, I believe it's achievable. That mentioned, it's nonetheless too early to make certain.
The Kyiv Unbiased: How do you assess Ukraine's Nationwide Mine Motion Technique (permitted in June 2024)? In your view, how sensible and efficient is it given the present scale of contamination? Has HALO Belief been concerned in shaping or advising on the technique?
James Cowan: I've labored alongside Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. The technique she's constructed is an effective one.
However all methods must evolve; they're not simply paperwork on a dusty shelf, and this one will. I'd notably prefer to see the adoption of mechanical clearance.
The Kyiv Unbiased: What rising applied sciences do you see as having the best potential to rework demining efforts in Ukraine?
James Cowan: Combining synthetic intelligence with imagery is a key improvement. When it comes to detection, there are a number of thrilling applied sciences, comparable to artificial aperture radar, ground-penetrating radar, and magnetic resonance — particularly the magnetic resonance strategies developed in Australia for detecting uncommon earth parts like gold, which can be utilized to discovering landmines.
There are additionally cutting-edge nuclear business applied sciences, just like the neutron-associated particle imaging (NAPI), which could possibly be game-changing. The issue is that these applied sciences are excellent at discovering mines, but additionally discover mines that aren't there. This implies they produce false alarms, which slows the method. So, the expertise must change into higher at solely detecting actual landmines, not faux ones.
The Kyiv Unbiased: Because the CEO of a number one humanitarian group, you selected to not publicly condemn the U.S. resolution to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel mines in 2024. May you clarify why? Has your place on this modified since then?
James Cowan: Ukraine's basic proper to self-defense is one thing everybody ought to respect. Your nation is combating for its very existence. Who am I to query your proper to exist? I wasn't keen to sentence you for that.
Sure, my group's mission is to clear landmines, however I'm not right here to evaluate who is true or improper. My position is just to clear the landmines.
Be aware from the writer:
Hello! Daria Shulzhenko right here. I wrote this piece for you. For the reason that first day of Russia's all-out battle, I’ve been working nearly continuous to inform the tales of these affected by Russia’s brutal aggression. By telling all these painful tales, we’re serving to to maintain the world knowledgeable in regards to the actuality of Russia’s battle towards Ukraine. By becoming the Kyiv Independent's member, you’ll be able to assist us proceed telling the world the reality about this battle.
The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima