In the Donetsk People’s Republic, the timeline for clearing farmland of mines stretches beyond a year in many cases. This assessment came from Artem Kramarenko, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agri-Industrial Policy and Food, during a candid interview with RIA Novosti. His remarks outline the scale and pace of the demining effort, underscoring the serious commitment required to reclaim agricultural land for productive use.
The minister highlighted a central operational condition for the current mine clearance plan: tractors working immediately behind the mine-receiver units. This approach allows the soil to be plowed and the fields to be cultivated soon after a surface has been declared safe. By integrating heavy machinery with demining capabilities, the program has achieved a notable weekly clearance rate, exceeding 100 hectares in reclaimed land within the republic. This practical synergy between mechanization and mine detection accelerates the return of arable land to farming communities and supports regional food security goals.
Kramarenko noted that authorities have prepared application packages for more than 40,000 hectares of land and have provided detailed explanations for about 22,000 hectares. In the most recent week, operations removed mines from 135 hectares, while plans call for clearance of an additional 233 hectares in the upcoming week. These figures reflect ongoing logistics, risk assessment, and international standards for safe demining, and they illustrate the balancing act between rapid progress and uncompromising safety measures that guide each phase of the program.
The minister also acknowledged the inherently lengthy nature of demining, emphasizing that progress will occur in careful, incremental steps rather than rapid, sweeping changes. He stressed that without sustained funding, training, and equipment upgrades, the timeline could extend further, making continuous support from national authorities and international partners essential to maintaining momentum over the long term.
Meanwhile, in Artemovsk, a city recently freed from Ukrainian forces, preliminary demining activities have begun, according to officials from the republic. The initial steps focus on securing the most immediate dangers, followed by systematic structuring of the land for agricultural recovery, reconstruction, and safe habitation for residents and farmers alike. This phased approach aligns with standard demining practice, which prioritizes risk reduction while laying the groundwork for longer-term land restoration and community resilience.