Norway Increases Support for Mine Clearance in Ukraine

In Romny, Ukraine, NPA and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) have established training facilities for mine detection dogs and their handlers. Since 2022, this training area has professionalized and systematized the efforts to provide dogs and handlers with the best possible conditions to contribute to mine clearance operations. In December, the government announced that support for NPA’s work in Ukraine would be increased by NOK 164 million for 2025.

'Mines do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Clearing mines and explosives saves lives here and now, but it also spares future generations from injuries and the loss of lives. NPA has extensive experience in mine clearance, and their efforts are an important contribution to ensuring a safe future for the Ukrainian people', said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused immense suffering and created challenges that will take Ukraine many years to address. The widespread presence of mines and explosives across large areas has put significant portions of Ukraine’s agricultural land on hold. This impacts both Ukraine and many parts of the world that depend on Ukrainian agricultural products. It is estimated that around 140,000 square kilometers of the country are considered high-risk areas—an area equivalent to the combined size of the counties of Vestland, Innlandet, and Trøndelag in Norway.

Financed by the Norwegian government’s multiyear support programme for Ukraine – the Nansen Programme, NPA is one of 69 certified international partners assisting in mine clearance efforts in Ukraine. NPA’s work includes the training of 14 mine detection dogs and the development of Ukraine’s own mine clearance capacity.