Japan and Cambodia want to help Ukraine remove landmines
Japan and Cambodia intend to jointly help Ukraine in the removal of landmines. This was announced by Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during her visit to Phnom Penh. Her country will make a powerful mine-clearing machine available to Ukraine in the coming week. Ukrainian specialists are expected to be trained in Cambodia, which is leading in this field, in mine clearing and operation of the machine in August.
Since the beginning of the Russian aggression war in Ukraine, the country has been saturated with mines and explosive remnants of unexploded ordnance in certain regions. There have been numerous fatalities among soldiers and civilians as a result. According to human rights organization Rights Watch, landmines have been discovered in eleven of Ukraine's 27 regions.
Cambodia is globally recognized as a leader in mine clearing - the country was forced to do so: After a three decade long civil war that ended in 1998, Cambodia was one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Approximately 20,000 people lost their lives due to mines or landmines. The government aims to finally clear all mines and explosive devices by 2025.
- Ukraine, still dealing with remnants of landmines from the Russian aggression war in various regions, will benefit from Japan and Cambodia's joint effort in mine removal.
- In their mission to aid Ukraine, Japan will provide a powerful mine-clearing machine, while Ukrainian specialists will receive training on its operation in Cambodia, renowned for its expertise in mine clearing.
- Learning from Cambodia's experiences as a heavily mined country post-civil war, Ukraine can utilize this partnership to speed up the removal of landmines and explosive remnants, saving lives and enhancing security in affected regions.
