Ukraine to establish AI-assisted demining test site
Source: Ukraine's Ministry of Defence
Details: The Defence Ministry and its partners have identified a location for a testing ground dedicated to demining technologies.
Representatives of the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety, the United Nations Development Programme, the Ministry of Economy, and the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries visited the site to discuss its potential use for testing cutting-edge demining solutions.
"This marks the initial step in a strategic initiative to establish an innovative testing site. Together with our partners, we have identified key areas for further efforts and decided to establish a training and testing complex for developing cutting-edge mine action technologies. This facility will not only drive technology modernisation but also serve as a repository for innovative solutions," said Olha Drobot, the Main Directorate of Mine Action representative.
The Defence Ministry noted that the UN Development Programme and the Ministry of Economy expressed interest in developing the project as a key platform for humanitarian demining innovations. The next steps include creating a roadmap, forming a working group and preparing for initial tests.
Drobot said that, as reported before, the advancement of modern technologies significantly accelerates non-technical land surveys and humanitarian demining while reducing risks for civilians.
Experts also plan to implement new approaches for analysing satellite and aerial images to map mined areas, use neural networks for automatic minefield detection, and integrate AI algorithms into demining planning and safety processes.
Background: In 2024, the Ministry of Economy signed an agreement with Palantir, a technology company specialising in big data analytics, to assist in demining efforts using AI. At that time, Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko stated that 156,000 square kilometres of land were potentially contaminated with explosives, putting over 6 million Ukrainians at risk.
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