The Sandown-class minesweeper HMS Grimsby (M108) participates in naval exercises off the coast of Oman in May 2011. The United Kingdom has since donated the Grimsby to Ukraine, which renamed it UNS Chernihiv; Ukrainian sailors are now training for future mine clearance operations on the vessel. (UK Ministry of Defence/LA(Phot) Stuart Hill)

Ukraine’s Navy Trained with Royal Navy in Mine Clearing

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The Ukrainian Navy now has five minesweepers—but international law prevents them from participating in mine clearance in the Black Sea until after the war ends.

When the war in Ukraine ends, Kyiv will face a truly massive cleanup operation. Ukraine is currently recognized as the world’s most heavily mine-contaminated nation, with roughly 20 to 25 percent of its total land area estimated to be contaminated with landmines, anti-tank mines, booby traps, and unexploded ordnance (UXO). More than 6 million Ukrainians live in or near areas impacted by explosives, and regardless of how the conflict ends, this ordnance will remain present after the war—and is certain to menace the lives of Ukrainian civilians for many years to come.

It isn’t just the land that is an issue.

The Black Sea has become one of the most heavily mined bodies of water in the world, as both Ukrainian and Russian forces have deployed naval mines for defense and maritime disruption, leading to drifting mines that pose severe risks far from the front lines. Floating mines continue to endanger........

© The National Interest