Ukraine Loses $11 Billion a Year to Russian Mines; Cleanup Could Take Decades

Ukraine’s deputy minister of defense, Ihor Bezkaravainyi, knows the cost of landmines personally. He lost his leg to a Russian mine in 2015. Now, he leads a national effort to clear the explosives that Russia has left across Ukrainian territory. The scale of the task is enormous. Bezkaravainyi says the mines cost Ukraine $11 billion every year in lost agricultural output, damaged infrastructure, and blocked development. Clearing the mines is slow and dangerous. Experts estimate the full cleanup will take decades. The explosives are scattered across thousands of square kilometers, many hidden in fields, forests, and roads. For farmers, the mines are a direct threat to their livelihoods and lives. For the economy, the damage adds to the strain of war. Ukraine cannot fully rebuild until the land is safe. Bezkaravainyi’s message is urgent: without international help—both financial and technical—the process will take even longer.