Organizations involved in demining Ukraine are using new technologies, from drones and artificial intelligence to remotely controlled machinery, in an attempt to speed up the clearing of land contaminated by explosives and to reduce risks for workers. The mission is becoming increasingly difficult due to the use of ammunition launched by drones and the emergence of more dangerous mines.
Ukraine is considered one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, with landmines and other explosive devices. In areas reclaimed by the Ukrainian army, farmlands and localities remain dangerous even after the withdrawal of Russian troops. In the Kharkov region, 58-year-old Olena Kabanova works for the humanitarian organization Halo Trust, manually removing soil around suspicious objects detected by specialized equipment, reports The Guardian.
An operation that could take up to 45 minutes with a shovel could be accomplished in about five minutes with the help of a machine called DMR-7. The vehicle, similar to a small-sized tank, uses compressed air jets to remove soil from a confined area. It is remotely controlled, so the operator does not need to approach potential explosive devices.
Most dangerous and drone attacks
The risks for demining teams have increased with the expansion of the use of ammunition launched by drones. Paul Heslop, senior advisor to the United Nations Organization for demining activities in Ukraine, warns that such attacks can extend the contaminated areas far beyond the former front lines.
Among the new threats are the POM-3 mines, used by Russian forces. These have a cylindrical shape and can be mistaken for ordinary discarded objects. The devices are triggered by the vibrations produced by the steps of a person approaching. Because of this danger, some villages are completely avoided by demining teams.
In parallel, drone and missile attacks can make outdoor work unsafe, and the jamming systems used by both sides can disrupt the activity of surveillance drones. Halo Trust has already lost several devices as a result of such incidents.
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