Ukraine has become the most mined country in the world with mine-infested territory about the size of Florida or Uruguay, The Washington Post reported on Saturday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2023) Ukraine has become the most mined country in the world with mine-infested territory about the size of Florida or Uruguay, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.
Now, about 30% of Ukrainian territory is covered with land mines, which is 67,000 square miles, and even though the exact assessment is impossible due to the ongoing hostilities, it is likely that Ukraine's mine problem is more serious than in Afghanistan or Syria, the report read.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the United Nations has recorded 298 civilian mine-related deaths, and the situation could worsen as both sides use anti-personnel mines, which do not require heavy weight to detonate and pose a greater threat to people, the newspaper added.
Both Ukraine and Russia use anti-tank mines as well, which are not as dangerous to civilians as anti-personnel mines, but not all types self-destruct and need to be removed later, posing a constant danger, the newspaper added.
Experts claim that it would take about 500 demining teams and 757 years to clear all mine-infested areas at the current rate. Not only is the process slow, but it also costs money: clearing one square meter costs between $4 and $8, and clearing all of Ukraine from mines will cost about $37.4 billion, the report said.
Such countries as Cambodia and Afghanistan took dozens of years to demine, and the process is still ongoing, which means that Ukraine will have to deal with mines for many years to come, the newspaper concluded.
Earlier in July, Washington announced its decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine so as not to reduce the supply of artillery shells to Kiev while US industry ramps up output against the backdrop of low stockpiles among NATO members. On Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the cluster munitions that Washington provided to Kiev had already been deployed in the field.
