Explosive Contamination Threatens Safety and Recovery in Ukraine

Explosive ordnance contamination in Ukraine is among the most severe in the world, affecting one-fourth of the country’s land. As the war approaches its fourth year, Ukraine faces one of the world’s gravest explosive remnants crises, with roughly a quarter of its territory now littered with landmines and other deadly explosive ordnance (EO). Indeed, as of December 2024, 138,503 km² of land and 14,000 km² of water were at risk of contamination and in need of survey.

Oleksandr, a farmer in the village of Velyka Komyshuvakha in Kharkiv region, explains,

“We used to grow grain crops, but everything is contaminated. We’ve already cleared 200 hectares on our own, but 700 are still mined. We took metal detectors and went out ourselves. All on our own.”

EO threatens civilians’ lives in 11 of Ukraine’s 27 regions: Chernihivska, Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Kharkivska, Khersonska, Kyivska, Luhanska, Mykolaivska, Odeska, Sumska, and Zaporizka. According to the Landmine Monitor, available casualty data from EO is believed to underrepresent the actual situation significantly. Ukraine is also contaminated as a result of the conflict in the east of the country since 2014 and the EO remaining from World Wars I and II. Consequently, a humanitarian needs assessment, conducted late in 2024, revealed that 5.4 million people require Mine Action assistance.

Adèle Masson, Advocacy Officer, Humanity & Inclusion Ukraine, states,

“The use of landmines in Ukraine has already left a legacy of human suffering, loaded post-conflict reconstruction, and endangered future generations. The country is undertaking a decades-long demining effort, with an estimated $29.8 billion allocated for landmine clearance.”

The Human Impact of Wide-Scale Contamination:

As of May 2025, 1497 civilian casualties (442 killed and 1055 injured) due to EO were reported by the United Nations (UN) since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. This is more than the total of civilian casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) recorded from 2014 to 2021. In 2023, the Landmine Monitor reported 580 victims of landmines in Ukraine, making it the 4th country with the most casualties recorded in that year. In May 2025, 53 civilians were reported wounded or killed by EO in Ukraine – this is more than a threefold rise compared to the average of the previous four months of 2025.

Anne Héry, Humanity & Inclusion’s Director of Advocacy and Institutional Relations, indicates,

“Landmines and cluster munitions do not simply defend borders - they turn them into death traps. They do not protect populations; they endanger them for generations.”

The Economic Devastation Repercussions of Contamination

Ukrainian agriculture loses more than $11 billion annually due to landmines. Indeed, it’s one of the world’s leading agricultural producers, with 71% of its land classified as agricultural and 56% arable, the highest proportion of any European country. According to the World Food Programme, before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine produced enough food annually to feed approximately 400 million people worldwide. Notably, agricultural and food exports have declined by $4.3 billion annually due to disruptions related to landmines.

Barriers to Return: The Lasting Impact of Contamination

While the presence of EO in residential areas is one of the barriers to the return of Internally Displaced Person (IDPs),20 alongside economic hardship and difficulties integrating into new regions, Ukrainians have to weigh up the pros and cons of returning to their hometowns, where active hostilities also continue to challenge clearance. Indeed, clearance teams are exposed to a compounded challenge: land already cleared of EO may become re-contaminated due to ongoing conflict. This not only undermines clearance efforts but also places landowners and users at renewed risk.

Safety concerns keep many families away from their homes, prolonging displacement and creating additional social and economic pressures. As of December 2024, less than half of Ukrainian refugees express a desire to return home, compared to 75% in November 2022. Many who initially intended to return have reconsidered and now opt to remain abroad.

“Even in the framework of a ceasefire, if I could go back to my home and find a job in my hometown, in the Luhansk region, I would not go back.”  Vadym Loktionov, explosive ordnance (EORE) Project Manager for Humanity & Inclusion Dnipro, said. “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.”

To access the full explosive ordnance contamination report in Ukraine, click here.

Spokespersons are available for interviews upon media requests.