Donbas mine removal will need 10-15 years, official says

The mine removal process in Donbas will require at least UAH 1 billion hryvnias (USD 37 mln) and at least 10-15 years, said on Civic Radio on Feb. 28 Serhiy Zubarevskiy, the head of the coordinating group to counteract homemade explosives at the Defense Ministry. 

Zenon Zawada: What’s most noteworthy about this statement is that mine removal is among the requirements of the Minsk accords. Therefore, what needs to be agreed upon is merely the beginning of mine removal, rather than its completion.

This is also means that it will take decades to make the Donbas region economically viable again and attractive for investment. The long-term presence of mines will adversely affect the performance of Donbas-based companies. This is unfortunate considering Donbas was among Ukraine’s most prospective regions before the war began.