Over 100,000 sq km of Ukrainian land still potentially dangerous due to mines – Presidential Office
According to Ukrinform, the Office of the President of Ukraine reported this on Facebook on the occasion of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
"More than 100,000 square kilometers of our country still remain potentially dangerous. But Ukraine is doing everything to increase safety everywhere. More than 15,000 hectares of agricultural land have already been cleared. This year, farmers will once again be able to sow these fields," the statement reads.
At the same time, the clearing of the Black Sea from mines and other explosive hazards is ongoing.
"Ukraine has already cleared more than 168 square kilometers of the water area. We have restored navigation in the Black Sea and remain one of the key guarantors of global food security," the Presidential Office said.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported on Telegram that 1,431 people have been injured by mines and explosive devices, including 146 children.
"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, demining units of the State Emergency Service and the National Police have already surveyed more than 248,000 hectares and detected over 1,112,000 hazardous items," the minister added.
The United Nations General Assembly designated April 4 as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the dangers of mines and explosive remnants of war and to promote their eradication.
Photo: Yuliia Svyrydenko / Ukrinform
