Japan provides Ukraine with demining machines

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan has provided Ukraine with large demining machines as the war in the country drags on for more than two years.

"Prior to this equipment provision, initial operational training program on the large demining machine was conducted in Japan” for Ukrainian personnel, said Japan’s Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.

The large demining machines are still being manufactured, and further provisions are planned by the end of this year, it added.

Four such machines were handed over to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko by Japanese ambassador Matusuda Kuninori.

Members of State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) have been receiving training in Japan to operate the machines.

“The removal of mines and unexploded ordnance is not only essential in ensuring the safety and security of residents, but is also a prerequisite for recovery and reconstruction that is indispensable for rebuilding livelihoods, agriculture, and industry,” said the ministry.

Over the weekend, Tokyo had announced the launch of Japan-Cambodia Landmine Initiative in Phnom Penh during the visit of Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

The initiative aims to leverage both countries' expertise in mine removal to assist other nations struggling with the issue, including Ukraine.

Japan has been cooperating with Cambodia in demining for more than 20 years as the Southeast Asian nation has extracted more than 72,000 mines since 2018, clearing 66% of its targeted 641 kilometers of land.

Last year, Japan trained police personnel from Ukraine to identify war dead, also pledging aid to Ukraine in post-war construction.

Russia launched a war on Ukraine in February 2022, killing and injuring thousands and displacing millions.