Mykolaiv region clears about half of mined areas, farmer compensation mechanism not working – Kim

Head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Vitaliy Kim has said that the area of cleared land in the region is now roughly equal to the area that still needs to be demined.

"We have 30 demining companies. About 140,000 hectares remain mined, and roughly the same amount has already been cleared," Kim told Interfax-Ukraine.

Asked what the current demining priorities are – agricultural land or recreational areas – he replied: "Everything."

"The plots vary greatly in terms of contamination, and there are no priorities. International companies, due to their protocols, clear easier areas, while our State Special Transport Service and Armed Forces demine more difficult areas. The process is ongoing, but now, for objective reasons, it is slower," the head of the regional administration said.

At the same time, asked whether the mechanism for compensating farmers for demining is working, he replied: "No, it is not working."

"I raised this issue because demining costs about $5,000 per hectare. When you pay 20%, that is still $1,000. Economically, it does not add up – $100,000 for demining 100 hectares. It is easier to rent land in central Ukraine and sow there," he said.