Ukraine

Extensive use of cluster munitions by Russian forces continued in 2024 and into 2025, along with continued use by Ukraine, with the United States (US) announcing a seventh transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine in October 2024. Clearance and technical survey (TS) increased significantly, due to expanded capacity. Very limited cancellation through non-technical survey (NTS) by one international operator took place for the first time in six years. Several national operators also cancelled areas. Ukraine’s national authorities also reported significant increases in survey and clearance across all types of operators, national and international, made possible by “massive use of demining machines and surface scanning unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)”.Email from Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, Head, National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) Secretariat, Ministry of Defence (MoD), 9 May 2025. While disaggregated data are collected and submitted to the Information System for Mine Action (IMSMA), Ukraine generally states the extent of its explosive ordnance (EO) challenge without disaggregation by weapon type, with the majority of hazardous areas presenting a mixed threat. Ukraine has institutionalised in its National Implementation Plan for 2024–26, its intention to survey all accessible areas for all types of contamination, including cluster munition remnants (CMR), by the end of 2026.

• Mine Action Review recognises the extremely challenging circumstances Ukraine faces following the war of aggression launched by Russia in February 2022. Nevertheless, Mine Action Review supports universal adherence to and full compliance with the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and calls on both Russia and Ukraine to immediately halt all use of cluster munitions and accede to the CCM as a matter of priority.
• If it has not already done so by the time this report goes to print, Ukraine should expedite its processes for permission to operators to use explosives in clearance and destruction operations as well as subsequent accreditation to conduct explosive ordnance disposal (EOD).
• Ukraine should review its instructions to operators and processes for the issuance of cancellation certificates, which currently limit cancellation to battle area clearance (BAC) tasks with no history of evidence of CMR.
• Ukraine should formalise a gender and diversity policy in mine action and continue its work to develop an implementation plan for this through its Gender in Mine Action Initiative group.

Click here to download the full "Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2025" report for Ukraine.