Estonian-made mobile demining camp provides safe working conditions for frontline demining efforts in Ukraine

Since the start of the war in 2022, Ukraine has become the most mined country in the world. The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that almost a fifth of the country, or approximately 139,000 km2, is threatened by mines and unexploded ordnances. These devices cause civilian casualties, hinder economic development, especially in agriculture, and slow reconstruction projects. 

Contaminated areas are often located far from large settlements and lack the necessary infrastructure to ensure safe working conditions for deminers. Demining large areas must be done manually. It is a long, labor-intensive process; clearing one village, for example, can take two to three years. Deminers need decent living conditions to ensure their efforts are effective as possible. The mobile demining camp meets these needs and ensures decent working and living conditions for deminers who risk their lives on the frontline, far from their families and homes. 

"Deminers generally live in abandoned houses. The enemy does not sleep and targets them from time to time. There was a need for a modular, mobile solution that could be moved quickly from one place to another with all the necessary provisions for daily life," said Margus Gering, ESTDEV’s head of Cooperation and Development for Ukraine. 

This type of modular camp has proven to be a flexible, cost-effective solution, and the entire camp can be moved to wherever it’s needed without special transportation. 

At the end of 2025, the camp was operating in southern Ukraine. In an interview with Delfi, Volodõmõr Perepelõtsia, the head of the Kherson police demining unit using the camp, said, “Thanks to the modular buildings, the team does not have to worry about basic needs. These buildings provide everything necessary for the staff to fully focus on the task." 

Delfi also spoke to Roman Kozyakov, the head of the Kherson regional police department, who said that these types of practical tools are critical to demining efforts. He thanked those involved in the project, saying, "I am very grateful to everyone who participated in providing this assistance. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Estonian people and government for their support.” 

The ESTDEV-funded demining camp is made up of nine trailers manufactured by Estonian company Alro Metal. They house office space, sleeping quarters, a washroom with a toilet and shower, a kitchen, and equipment and repair rooms. All trailers are equipped with air conditioning and a heat pump. The camp also has internet equipment and a special generator trailer, making it possible to work in areas without electricity. The trailers were transported to Ukraine by volunteers from the Estonian Rescue Association. 

On the photo: The mobile demining camp used during a mission in southern Ukraine. Photo credit: Kristopher Muraveiski/Delfi Meedia