Ukraine clears 572 ha of farmland in March, pays UAH 35.4 mln in compensation

Mine action operators in March 2026 cleared 572 hectares of agricultural land under the state compensation program and received UAH 35.4 million in payments, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported.

According to the statement, six contracts were executed during the month, with the average cost of clearing one hectare amounting to UAH 59,000. In addition, under two new contracts, work was launched on more than 85 hectares through the Humanitarian Demining Center, with a total value of UAH 5.8 million.

The ministry noted that relatively low activity in the first quarter was caused by a revision of the "Humanitarian Demining" budget program, which temporarily suspended the review of applications from farmers. Processing of applications has now been fully resumed.

"In March, the government adopted a resolution simplifying participation in the program for agricultural producers. They now only need to submit an application for clearing a specific land plot, and the Humanitarian Demining Center will verify its compliance with legal requirements," the ministry said.

Currently, work is ongoing under 37 contracts covering approximately 8,000 hectares. A total of 82 contracts have already been completed, allowing 14,600 hectares to be returned to use. The total cost of this work amounts to nearly UAH 854.5 million.

According to published infographics, the sector’s technical capacity currently includes 134 certified operators and 298 demining machines. Since the launch of the program, demining has been initiated on 22,700 hectares (121 agreements) with a total value of UAH 1,408.0 million. Clearance has actually been completed on 15,200 hectares under 88 agreements, for which UAH 889.9 million has been paid.

The compensation program for farmers is financed under the Ukraine Facility plan with support from the European Union. In March, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft law to strengthen support for those affected by mines and to further define the functioning of the National Mine Action Authority after the end of martial law.