Ukraine’s Long-Term Landmine Problem

Key Takeaways

• Ukraine now most mined country globally
• 20% of territory, 139,000 km² contaminated
• 6,279 civilians harmed in 2024, 90% civilians
• Children account for 179 deaths, 80% adolescent boys
• Demining could cost $35 billion, take 30 years

Pulse Analysis

Ukraine now bears the world’s heaviest land‑mine burden, with over one‑fifth of its 693,000 km² territory—about 139,000 km², the size of New York State—contaminated by unexploded ordnance. Russia’s full‑scale invasion has left an estimated two million mines, a contamination level unseen in Europe since World II. In 2024, 6,279 civilians were killed or injured, 90 percent of them non‑combatants, and children accounted for 179 deaths, underscoring the indiscriminate danger.

A massive education push has reached most Ukrainian youth. UNICEF’s 2024 survey found 97 percent of children know basic mine‑safety rules and 80 percent can spot hazardous objects, yet many still take dangerous risks. Creative tools—from comic books and cartoons to online games—have boosted awareness, while volunteers like Kristina Kolii train peers to recognize and report suspect devices. Demining, however, lags far behind the need: only about 4,500 trained specialists exist, and clearing the 139,000 km² field will require tens of thousands more. Local NGOs also run unlicensed clearance teams, raising safety concerns.

The crisis is compounded by a weakening legal framework. The 1997 Ottawa Convention, which bans anti‑personnel mines, remains unsigned by major powers such as the United States, Russia, China, India and Pakistan, and several European states have recently withdrawn. Ukraine announced a suspension of its treaty obligations in 2025, arguing mines are essential for defense, a stance echoed by the Biden administration’s late‑2024 reversal on mine transfers. The Stockholm School of Economics estimates full demining will cost over $35 billion and could take up to three decades, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated international funding and expertise and political will.