Developers in Kharkiv have delivered Ukraine's first domestic demining machine to the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration to prepare the ground for demining, Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Oct. 27.
The machine has undergone a year of testing and was officially certified on Aug. 2.
Syniehubov said the equipment was "significantly cheaper than foreign counterparts," but no less efficient. The machine is reportedly capable of defusing 95% of mines.
The new machine weighs 16 tons and is fitted with an automatic control panel and four surveillance cameras. It operates at a distance of 300 meters, reducing risks for operators.
Syniehubov said the prototype underwent four months of testing in combat conditions, during which it neutralized over 300 anti-personnel mines.
The governor said the administration had purchased two of the vehicles, and will receive the second one by the end of November. After operators have been thoroughly trained, the machines will be sent to the work in heavily contaminated areas.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 14 that mines and unexploded ordnance have rendered a third of Ukrainian territory unsafe. Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine, the country has become one of the most heavily mined nations in the world.
Rich Wordsworth
(Updated: )
