PM Shmyhal: Switzerland contributes one-fifth of $530 million demining aid donation.

Switzerland will contribute 100 million euros (£105 million) to Ukraine as part of a recently pledged international donation for demining assistance of almost 500 million euros (£530 million), Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Oct.

13. The assistance package was presented at the International Donor Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine that took place in Zagreb on Oct.

11-12 with the participation of 35 countries and several international organizations. The event was co-chaired by Croatia and Ukraine, the latter of which was represented by Shmyhal via video conference.

According to the prime minister, further individual contributions were pledged by Norway (£21 million), Sweden (£13 million), Croatia (£5 million), Austria (£2 million), and £1.6 million each by Slovenia and Spain. Ukraine's head of government noted that these figures also take into account some of the previously announced donations.

"Ukraine thanks you for every contribution; this is our joint work for the safety of future generations," Shmyhal told the donors. "The funds will be used for the purchase of survey and demining equipment. In addition, further assistance will come in the form of equipment and expert support."

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on March 1 that nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory had been mined since the start of the full-scale invasion. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, 250 people have been killed by mines in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war, and over 500 have been injured or maimed. The State Emergency Service earlier reported that after the end of the war, Ukraine would need at least 10 years to demine its territory.

Russia is covering Ukraine with landmines.

Clearing them will be extremely difficult In March 2022 right after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, a cell phone video apparently taken by a Russian soldier captured two "Zemledeliye" mobile mine-laying systems thought to be stationed in Kharkiv Oblast. Positioned against a drab backdrop of what was once farmland, the "Zemledeli...

News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent.

He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press.

He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukrainer.

Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.