Kherson Region Receives New Underwater Demining Equipment from UNDP and EU

Units of the State Emergency Service in Kherson region have received new underwater demining equipment thanks to the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union.

According to the Kherson Regional State Administration, the technical assistance was provided under the EU4Recovery - Empowering Communities in Ukraine project, which aims to improve security and restore war-affected regions.

Photo: Press service of the State Emergency Service in Kherson region.

The list of new equipment includes special wetsuits, metal detectors for underwater work, modern sonars for searching for explosive objects, and robotic systems for remote inspection of water bodies. This will allow rescuers to clear rivers and water bodies of mines and other dangerous remnants of war faster and safer.

Thanks to this equipment, the sappers will be able to demine coastal areas much more efficiently and restore access to water bodies for local residents and fishermen. Given that the Kherson region has significant water resources, this is extremely important for the region's return to peaceful life.

Photo: SES press service in Kherson region.

The leadership of the SES expressed gratitude to international partners for their significant support and noted that cooperation with European countries and UNDP contributes to improving security in Kherson Oblast and other regions of Ukraine.

According to Dmytro Yunusov, Director of the Department of Agriculture of the Kherson Regional State Administration, demining of the right bank of Kherson Oblast is proceeding faster than expected. Earlier it was predicted that this process could take 5, 10 or even 20 years. However, thanks to the efforts of more than a thousand sappers working in the region, the task has been significantly accelerated.

Meanwhile, the Future Forces Forum 2024 was held in the Czech Republic. One of the topics was the experience of demining Kherson region.

Андрій Колісніченко