Innovations and the production of demining equipment and machinery in Ukraine are crucial for rapidly clearing our territory of mines and unexploded ordnance. This topic was a focal point during a discussion panel at the first International Defence Industries Forum in Kyiv, which was dedicated to humanitarian demining.

As Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, noted in her speech, about 170,000 square kilometres of Ukraine's territory are potentially contaminated. Humanity has not faced challenges of this scale since the World War II. And there are no ready-made solutions on how to quickly clean up such areas. Therefore, Ukraine cannot afford to delay the demining process for decades or even centuries, as some experts point out. Instead, the goal is to make 80% of potentially contaminated areas usable again in ten years.

"That's why we're focusing our efforts on several key fronts: strengthening government agencies like the SES and the SSTS, fostering the growth of the demining services market, collaborating with donors and partners. Equally important is the development of demining machinery and equipment production within Ukraine and the advancement of innovative solutions. Ukraine has shown its innovative spirit during the war, and we're committed to supporting and nurturing production and innovation in the demining sector," stated Yuliia Svyrydenko.

During the panel discussion, representatives of Ukrainian and foreign companies spoke about their plans to manufacture and supply special equipment for demining needs.

In particular, Gordan Pešić, a member of the Board of Croatian DOK-ING, noted that the company, according to a memorandum signed in June with the Ukrainian manufacturer, had already localised 20% of its production in Ukraine and planned to increase this figure. The company will also supply the contracted number of demining machines to Ukraine by the end of the year and provide spare parts for machines operating in Ukraine.

In response, Ukrainian manufacturers highlighted their recent achievements. For instance, AvtoKrAZ is set to complete the production of Ukraine's first demining vehicle, which is based on a foreign-made bulldozer, within the next three months. This project has received financial and expert support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and boasts scalability, as the manufacturer's facilities are well-equipped for the task. Additionally, the Pozhmashyna company, which entered into a memorandum of understanding with Denmark's Hydrema during the summer, has developed specialized armoured vehicles designed for the transportation of demining equipment.

The first International Defence Industries Forum held in Kyiv gathered representatives from over 30 countries and hosted more than 250 defence companies. During the opening of this significant event, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveiled plans for the establishment of the Alliance of Defence Industries. Additionally, he announced that Ukraine is actively working on implementing a specialized economic regime for the defence industry and will establish a dedicated Defence Fund to allocate extra resources, particularly for the advancement of military production.