Mine Action Centre opened in Ukraine to train over 3,000 sappers
On 3 November, the Mine Action Centre of the State Special Transport Service was opened in Chernihiv Oblast. Metinvest Group was a partner in the construction of the centre through the state fundraising platform United 24.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the company's press service.
One of the main tasks of the Mine Action Centre will be to train sappers. The plan is to train more than 3,000 specialists who will be engaged in humanitarian demining of areas heavily contaminated with explosive ordnance after the hostilities. Metinvest's financial support helped to build the centre's main administrative building. The company's total investment in the construction was UAH 9.5 million.
The Mine Action Centre is a new format for responding to the challenge of massive mine contamination during the war. As a result of the hostilities, Ukraine has become the most heavily mined country in the world, so the issue of certification, education and training of sappers and demining specialists needs to be addressed immediately. The area of the de-occupied territory contaminated by mines is currently around 45,000 square kilometres, and with the full de-occupation of Ukraine's territory, it will increase by around 190,000 square kilometres.
"Mine clearance of the territory of Ukraine after the war is one of the biggest challenges our society will face. Thousands of homes, estates, fields, and businesses, like our Azovstal, bear these traces of war that will remind us of the fighting for many years after it ends. We should not leave this "heritage" to our children or grandchildren, so that in 50 years they will accidentally come across dangerous findings. Therefore, investing in the opening of the Mine Action Centre in Chernihiv region is another step by Metinvest Group and its shareholder in a major project to help demine Ukraine, as part of which we already produce mine trawls for tanks. I am convinced that systematic approaches to mine action should be implemented throughout Ukraine," said Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of Metinvest Group.
The Mine Action Centre will plan, organise and coordinate mine action activities, inform the public about the risks associated with mines and explosive remnants of war, and train and certify mine action operators.
"Two years ago, a capsule was laid in the foundation of the office building, which we can see today in a modern style thanks to the State Transport Service's partners, United 24 and Metinvest Group. The centre was created to plan, organise and coordinate mine action activities. Today, the centre certifies mine action operators, inspects the quality of demined areas, manages information and provides scientific support for mine action. We also inform the public about the risks associated with explosive ordnance," said Colonel Yevhen Biriukov, Head of the Mine Action Centre.
The centre will help improve the efficiency of the demining quality management system and the inspection of demined areas. The centre will also certify mine action operators and mine action processes, engage demining teams in areas contaminated by explosive ordnance, and provide scientific and technical support for mine action.
