Report exposes landmine toll on Ukraine’s future as Eastern European states abandon the Mine Ban treaty

• Landmine contamination is costing Ukraine an estimated $11.2 billion annually, equivalent to a 5.6% reduction of its pre-war GDP
• Ukraine is facing a decades-long demining effort at an estimated cost of $29.8 billion. One quarter of Ukraine’s territory is potentially contaminated by landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war. This makes Ukraine one of the most severely affected countries in the world.
• Ukraine recently became the sixth state to withdraw or declare its intention to withdraw from the Ottawa convention which bans anti-personnel mines. The effectiveness of landmines in modern warfare has significantly diminished due to advances in technology and landmines are no longer effective to block troop advance, as is argued by States withdrawing from the Mine Ban Treaty.
• Concerns about the risk from explosive ordnance are keeping families away from their homes, compounding Ukraine’s displacement crisis. As of December 2024, less than half of Ukrainian refugees expressed a desire to return home, compared to 75% in November 2022.
• The humanitarian, environmental, and financial costs of landmines far outweigh any temporary military advantage they might offer. Clearance operations are critical not only to reduce injuries but also to enable communities to rebuild and thrive.

As European States, including Ukraine, are withdrawing from the life-saving Ottawa treaty which bans anti-personnel mines, a study by Humanity & Inclusion highlights the devastating economic, social and human impact of explosive ordnance contamination in Ukraine, including landmines.

Deadly Legacy: Explosive Ordnance threatens Ukraine’s recovery 

As Ukraine grapples with the devastating legacy of war, explosive ordnance contamination is emerging as one of the gravest threats to its recovery, inflicting billions in economic losses and prolonging the displacement of millions of citizens.

Landmines are part of the explosive weapons contaminating the country. Russia has been using these weapons extensively in Ukraine since 2022, and Ukraine has now become the most contaminated country worldwide. 

Ukraine recently became the sixth state to withdraw or declare its intention to withdraw from the Ottawa convention which bans anti-personnel mines, following Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.  This decision sets an extremely worrying precedent.
Antipersonnel mines cause long-term contamination and pose grave risks to civilian populations. Globally, over 84% of landmine victims are civilians. The use of these weapons endangers lives not only during conflict but for decades afterward, hindering reconstruction, safe return of displaced communities, and long-term peacebuilding.

“The use of landmines in Ukraine has already left a legacy of human suffering, hampered post-conflict reconstruction, and endangered future generations,” says Duncan Ball, Country Director for Humanity & Inclusion in Ukraine “The country is facing a decades-long demining effort with an estimated cost of $29.8 billion for mine clearance.”

Landmines are not effective to block troops advance

Landmines have historically been used to block or slow the advance of enemy troops. But their effectiveness in modern warfare is significantly diminished due to advances in technologies. Today. landmines are no longer effective to block troop advance, as argued by States that plan to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty.

“Modern militaries now employ Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, including satellite imagery, UAVs (drones), and ground-based sensors that allow them to detect troop concentrations and monitor enemy activity in real-time. These technologies can identify minefields as they are being emplaced, meaning most mine-laying operations are no longer covert or tactically unpredictable.” explains Gary Toombs, Humanity & Inclusion Explosive Ordnance Disposal Expert. 

“Additionally, military breaching equipment, such as mine ploughs, rollers, explosive line charges and armoured engineering vehicles, can clear “safe” lanes through minefields quickly and under fire. In recent conflicts, such as in Ukraine, we’ve seen combined arms operations effectively overcome entrenched defensive positions, including minefields, using coordinated firepower and engineering assets.” adds Toombs.

“Anti-personnel mines, once seen as a persistent threat, now offer only temporary disruption not decisive delay. In short, no minefield can stop a determined and technologically capable force. Landmines have become a tactical inconvenience at best, not a barrier.”

Economic Devastation: $11.2 Billion lost annually

The humanitarian, environmental, and financial costs of landmines far outweigh any temporary military advantage they might offer.

As stated in Humanity & Inclusion’s study, approximately a quarter of Ukraine’s territory - 138,503 km² of land and 14,000 km² of water - is potentially contaminated by landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war. This makes Ukraine one of the most severely affected countries in the world.

The financial toll is staggering. A joint report by Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change estimates that landmine contamination is costing Ukraine an estimated $11.2 billion annually, equivalent to 5.6% of its pre-war GDP.

Agricultural and food exports alone have declined by $4.3 billion annually due to landmine-related disruptions. In the Kherson region, explosive weapons contamination is expected to reduce regional GDP by 10 to 15%, exacerbating the crisis caused by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in June 2023 that spread thousands of landmines and flooded tens of thousands of hectares of agricultural land.

“In Barvinkivska, approximately 17,000 hectares of agricultural land are contaminated, making it impossible for farmers and agricultural enterprises to fully utilise them,” says Natalya, deputy head of Barvinkivska Urban Territorial Community in Kharkiv region.

The contamination is not only halting agricultural production but also hindering reconstruction and limiting humanitarian access. Entire communities have lost access to essential land for farming and grazing, pushing rural households into deeper poverty and greater reliance on aid.

Displacement and Fear: families unable to return home

Concerns about the risks from explosive ordnance are keeping families away from their homes, compounding Ukraine’s displacement crisis. The presence of explosive ordnance in residential areas, combined with the risk of recontamination in previously cleared zones due to the ongoing conflict, has created insurmountable barriers for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees considering returning.

“Even in the framework of a ceasefire, if I could go back to my home and found a job in my hometown in Luhansk region, I would not go back. It is not safe, and it will keep being dangerous for a long time. If one day I have children, I don’t want to live in fear for their lives.” says Vadym Loktionov, an Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Project Manager for Humanity & Inclusion in Dnipro. 

As of December 2024, less than half of Ukrainian refugees expressed a desire to return home, compared to 75% in November 2022. Clearance operations are critical not only to reduce injuries but also to enable communities to rebuild and thrive.

Humanity & Inclusion calls on the international community to increase funding for clearance and victim assistance and urges all parties to the conflict to cease the use of landmines and other indiscriminate weapons that devastate civilian lives and livelihoods.

Notes

Link to the report: https://www.humanity-inclusion.org.uk/sn_uploads/document/Advocacy-factsheet_EO-contamination-in-Ukraine.pdf

Spokespersons

• Duncan Ball, Country Directory for Humanity & Inclusion in Ukraine – based in Kiev
• Gary Toombs, Humanity & Inclusion's Explosive Ordnance Disposal expert – based in the UK