Mine contamination in Ukraine has injured nearly 1,700 civilians since the invasion began
Landmines and unexploded ordnance have injured almost 1,700 civilians in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began, with farmers among the hardest hit.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, landmines and other explosive remnants of war have injured nearly 1,700 civilians. Farmers have been hit hardest, as much of Ukraine's agricultural land lies in areas that were or still are active combat zones, where unexploded ordnance and mines can remain hidden in fields and soil.
Farmers, whose daily work involves tilling land, tending crops and harvesting, face an elevated risk of encountering explosives, since many areas have not yet been fully surveyed and cleared of hazards left behind by fighting. Mine contamination has become one of the most persistent and severe consequences of the war, continuing to threaten civilian lives and health even in territories where active combat has ceased.
The situation also complicates efforts to return affected agricultural land to productive use, since careful and time-consuming demining is required before it can be safely worked again. The process is costly and affects large stretches of territory that were significant centers of Ukrainian agricultural production before the war, including land used for grain cultivation.
The figures on injured civilians show that the threat posed by mines and other explosives in Ukraine remains high regardless of shifts in the front line. Addressing the problem is likely to require long-term solutions and substantial resources even after the war ends, to allow affected regions to safely return to normal life.
