Ukraine to Receive 26 GCS-200 Demining Vehicles In 2025
3 March, 2025 GCS-200 demining system from Switzerland for Ukraine. October 2024. Photo: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
In 2025, Global Clearance Solutions will supply Ukraine with 26 additional GCS-200 unmanned demining vehicles, as announced by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The Ministry further clarified that 62 of those vehicles were in operation across various regions of the country. The GCS-200 unmanned multipurpose platform, delivered last year to a military unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Support Command, features several advanced modifications.
Swiss GCS-200 demining vehicle.
Photo credits: Nibulon
The crawler design ensures exceptional maneuverability, enabling the vehicle to pivot in place with a minimal turning radius of just around four meters. The project is backed by international donors, including the governments of Germany, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Lithuania, along with support through the United24 platform.
The GCS-200 demining vehicles manufactured by the Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions (GCS), which were handed over to the Ukrainian forces.
2022. Photo credits: GCS
The use of mechanized demining equipment significantly minimizes risks to sappers while greatly accelerating the process of clearing land. Engineering drones, crafted by the German-Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions, are actively deployed by the State Transport Special Service, Support Forces, State Emergency Service, National Police, and various private companies.
In 2023, the company established its service center in Kyiv. Before that, the repairs were carried out by an initiative specialist of the company using a mobile workshop.
Repair of the demining vehicle in the field. Photo credits: Global Clearance Solutions
Clearing mines from Ukrainian land
On February 26, it was reported that the long-term plan for the development of Ukraine's demining capacity for 2024-2034 envisaged the allocation of EUR700 million from partners for the purchase of equipment.
This was discussed at the 11th meeting of the Demining Capability Coalition in Vilnius under the chairmanship of Lithuania and Iceland. The event was attended by 40 officials from 15 countries. The coalition members were interested in the experience of the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces and other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, gained over three years of large-scale war.
At the initiative of Lithuania and Ukraine, working groups will be set up to study the latest methods of maintaining and servicing engineering barriers, innovations in mine action, including the use of UAVs and artificial intelligence in non-technical surveys.