Ukraine loses $11 billion yearly due to landmines
Source: Ukraine’s economy ministry
Ukraine is losing $11.2 billion annually because of landmines, a grim figure equivalent to 5.6% of the country’s 2021 GDP, according to a report by the Tony Blair Institute, conducted alongside the Ministry of Economy.
Some regions are paying an even steeper price. Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv have seen over 20% of their local GDP vanish, while their budgets miss out on more than $1.1 billion in tax revenue.
To speed up demining, the Ukrainian government has rolled out a compensation program for farmers brave enough to clear their agricultural land of deadly explosives. There are also efforts to ramp up the number of demining operators, with ten auctions already announced on the Prozorro platform to purchase demining services for farmland.
In her meeting with philanthropist Howard Buffett, Ukraine’s economy minister Yuliia Svyrydenko revealed that Kyiv plans to demine at least 3,700 hectares. According to the World Bank, demining the entire country could cost a staggering $35 billion.
On a brighter note for farmers, the Ukrainian government recently upped its compensation for demining agricultural land to cover 100% of costs, compared to the previous 80%.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.