Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia for over four years, is developing demining techniques utilizing advanced technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence (AI), the British daily The Guardian reported on October 14 (local time).

Ukraine is currently considered one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries in the world.

Russia not only uses drones to scatter landmines but also deploys new types of mines in actual combat that are more dangerous than conventional ones.

Russia's POM-3, a small cylindrical landmine, detonates by detecting the vibrations of footsteps when a person approaches.

An official from HALO Trust, an international humanitarian organization conducting demining operations in Ukraine, said, "Because of the POM-3, there are villages we cannot approach at all. The types of landmines are constantly evolving and changing."

On the other hand, technologies advanced during the course of the war are also being utilized in demining operations.

HALO Trust is testing a small tank-shaped remote-controlled device called the DMR-7 in hazardous areas.

This equipment forcefully sprays compressed air to blow away the soil in suspected spots.

A task that takes up to 45 minutes when a person digs with a shovel can be completed in about 5 minutes.

The organization explained that because operators operate the equipment with a remote control from a safe distance, they can perform the most dangerous stage of the demining process more safely.

In addition, landmine detection technology utilizing AI is being introduced to the field.

Before the war in Ukraine, binoculars and maps were used to search for traces of landmines, but now methods of capturing areas with drones and satellite photos and analyzing them with AI are also being used.

Along with video analysis, ground-penetrating radar and equipment to detect explosives themselves are being introduced to demining operations.

Field officials expect that new technologies such as drones, AI, and remote-controlled equipment will significantly increase the speed of demining operations.

An official from HALO Trust said, "Ukraine is at the forefront of demining technology."

Since the outbreak of the war, about 1.5 billion dollars (approx. 2 trillion won) has been poured into Ukraine's demining sector.

However, new technologies are not evenly distributed across all demining sites.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service has also started surveillance using drones, but it is reportedly not yet applying AI analysis to drone footage.

Another obstacle to demining operations is the complex administrative system.

The organizations responsible for demining in Ukraine are dispersed across multiple government ministries and dozens of private and international organizations.

The Ukrainian government is trying to integrate demining tasks under a single organization, but progress is known to be slow due to issues such as jurisdictional adjustments between ministries.

(Photo: Getty Images)