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In Ukraine, demining teams combine manual labor, drones, remote machines, and artificial intelligence to tackle contamination that still limits movement, agriculture, and reconstruction in war-affected areas.
Demining teams from HALO Trust work with metal detectors, remotely operated machines, drones, and artificial intelligence systems to remove mines and unexploded ordnance in areas of Ukraine affected by the Russian invasion.
Near the village of Myrotske, in the Kyiv region, the operation takes place in fields and forests that were occupied by Russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, and which still pose a risk to the local population.
Explosive contamination is one of the most lasting consequences of the conflict.
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According to Ukraine’s National Mine Action Platform, up to 144,000 km² of Ukrainian territory may be contaminated with mines and other explosive remnants of war.
In a survey cited by Reuters, the area still at risk was estimated at about 132,000 km², a size close to that of Greece.
To date, approximately 42,000 km² have been made safe, according to data from the state platform Demining Ukraine cited by Reuters.
The difference between the area already cleared and the extent still under suspicion indicates the volume of work for the teams operating in the country.
Mines in Ukraine still threaten civilian areas
In Myrotske, about 40 kilometers northwest of Kyiv, mine clearers advance in rows, with metal detectors pointed at the ground.
Movement is slow and follows defined protocols to reduce the risk of detonating explosives buried or hidden by vegetation.
HALO Trust began operations at the site after a Ukrainian soldier stepped on an anti-personnel mine while collecting firewood, according to the organization’s report to Reuters.
The incident occurred in an area where fighting had already moved on, but where explosives left on the ground continued to pose a danger to those moving through the region.
“Unfortunately, Ukraine is the most mined country in the world,” Olena Shustova, HALO Trust media manager, told Reuters.
She also stated that the country “will not be demined in less than 10 years.”
The assessment was made in the context of operations conducted by the entity in areas that were under Russian occupation.
According to Shustova, “everywhere there was occupation, there are minefields and explosive devices.”
HALO Trust, an international humanitarian organization specializing in mine action, informed Reuters that it employs about 1,350 people in Ukraine.
Artificial intelligence helps locate explosives
Given the extent of the suspected territory, HALO began using artificial intelligence in the analysis of images captured by drones.
The systems are trained to recognize signs compatible with mines, abandoned munitions, craters, and other traces associated with the presence of explosives.
According to Reuters, the technology used by the organization achieves about 70% accuracy in identifying mines and explosive remnants in high-resolution images taken by drones.
The tool does not replace field verification but assists in area screening and prioritizing tasks for the teams.
HALO states that drones and artificial intelligence reduce image analysis time and limit the direct exposure of workers to suspicious areas.
In its institutional materials, the organization states that it uses these technologies to accelerate risk identification and support clearance operations in various mine-affected countries.
In the Ukrainian case, the use of autonomous equipment and digital tools accompanies a broader shift in activities related to war and humanitarian response.
In demining operations, these resources are used to locate explosives, guide fieldwork, and reduce direct contact of operators with risk points.
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