Switzerland to provide three more demining machines to Ukraine

Swiss President Viola Amherd has said that the country will deliver three more remote-controlled demining machines from Swiss-based Global Clearance Solutions to Ukraine.

She made the remarks at a conference on demining in Ukraine in Lausanne, Switzerland, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"We are determined to continue to make our contribution," said Amherd.

"This will enable efficient, safe and independent demining operations in the future," she emphasized in front of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and representatives from dozens of other countries.

Switzerland, which is providing financial support, is hosting the conference this week attended by officials from around 50 countries to drum up funds for demining Ukraine set to cost $34.6 billion, according to a World Bank study.

Clearance is seen as a critical requisite for boosting agricultural production and for the return of millions of Ukrainians who have fled since Russia’s Feb. 2022 invasion. Already, 399 civilians have been killed by landmines and 915 injured, according to U.N. human rights monitors.

“The scale of this challenge is truly massive,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, told the meeting in the city of Lausanne. “I call on the entire civilised world to increase support for Ukraine in the field of demining.”

He said the country’s National Mine Strategy aimed to demine the country by 2033 but it needed help, especially with training 10,000 deminers and building machines which can clear terrain around 100 times faster than people.

“Ukraine has already started producing some of these machines but we need your support in this area,” he said.

The Schwyz-based company Global Clearance Solutions (GCS) manufactures the devices. The company works with the UN and several non-governmental organizations such as the Swiss Foundation for Demining (FSD). It expects around 100 of its machines to be deployed in Ukraine by 2025. Switzerland has earmarked CHF 100 million for demining in Ukraine by 2027.

By Khagan Isayev