The Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) agrees to accept sappers from Ukraine for training.
Source: Swiss government
As part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, the Swiss Army and the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining regularly conduct training courses at the international level.
Ukrainian national authorities report that they have already located, recorded, and removed nearly 80,000 mines and explosive devices.
“While mine action efforts are underway, Ukrainian civilians have an urgent need to understand how to recognize explosive ordnance in their communities, what to do if explosive objects are found, and how to reduce their risks.”
It will take years to remove all mines, hindering reconstruction efforts and making it unsafe for people to return to their previous daily lives.
On July 18, 2022, the Swiss government announced that it would help Ukraine solve this dangerous task.
“Several experts from Ukraine will be trained in the coming weeks. The Swiss Army covers the travel and accommodation expenses of the participants. Thanks to this contribution from GICHD, humanitarian demining operations in Ukraine will be carried out more safely, efficiently and effectively.”
See also: Switzerland will provide Ukrainians in Russia with consular support
