Intl support for humanitarian demining since 2022 reaches nearly $1.5 bln – Economy Minister
International support for humanitarian demining activities in Ukraine since 2022 amounts to nearly $1.5 billion, including funds already used and those announced, Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Minister Oleksiy Sobolev reported on Facebook.
"This demonstrates the global scale of a problem that affects many countries and particularly markets dependent on Ukrainian grain. Even during the war, Ukraine remains a guarantor of global food security, and this is also the result of advances in humanitarian demining. We are already harvesting part of our crops on cleared fields," he said at the opening of the Demine Ukraine Forum 2025.
Sobolev highlighted that nearly 10,000 hectares have already been returned to farmers through the state compensation program alone, with a similar area currently in progress. After the program was expanded to include household plots, the government received applications for the demining of an additional 3,000 hectares.
According to him, 130 demining operators are already working in Ukraine, a market that did not exist four years ago. More than 90,000 hectares require demining right now. The draft state budget for 2026 allocates UAH 2 billion for this purpose. Additionally, in 2026, the Humanitarian Demining Center will work with communities to more quickly return critical farmland to production, enabling farmers to secure loans and restart operations.
The minister noted that the development of the humanitarian demining market is stimulating the emergence of new manufacturing and service businesses. Ukraine already has 13 equipment manufacturers, either certified or in testing and development. International companies are opening service centers to maintain their equipment. This creates jobs, tax revenue, and faster repairs of damaged machinery. The priority for 2026 is greater localization.
He recalled that demining services for agricultural land are auctioned openly, an example of transparency and fair competition. Auction prices, on average, drop by 20.5%. Ukraine is also developing a system for prioritizing demining tasks.
"Right now, Ukraine, combining international experience with its own solutions, is shaping approaches capable of transforming the global humanitarian demining sector," the minister said, thanking partners for their support and investments in a safer future for countries affected by war.