June 25, 2026

The tragic deaths of two Ukrainian deminers working for the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) in the Kherson region following a Russian attack have brought a critical question back into focus: what real protections do Ukrainian deminers working with international organizations have, and what unprecedented risks are they facing?

Humanitarian demining in Ukraine has long moved beyond the framework of conventional international protocols. Today, it is work carried out on the edge of active combat.

1. Critical Risks for Deminers: A New Reality

The International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) were developed primarily for post-conflict environments such as Cambodia and Angola, where the main threat is the mine itself.

In Ukraine, however, deminers operate amid an ongoing war, where the key risks include:

• Targeted strikes and artillery attacks. The incident near the village of Novopetrivka demonstrates that Russian forces are deliberately targeting humanitarian missions. Deminers working in open terrain are highly visible and vulnerable to enemy artillery and UAV attacks.
• Technological traps and “smart” mines. Russian forces are increasingly using mines equipped with seismic and laser sensors, remote mining systems deployed by hexacopters, as well as emerging threats involving fiber-optic control.
• Layered mining. The combination of conventional tripwire mines with booby traps makes standard manual demining procedures potentially lethal.

2. Guarantees When Working with International Organizations

Working for major international organizations such as NPA, the HALO Trust, FSD, and others provides Ukrainian specialists with significant advantages compared with local commercial contractors. However, even these safeguards have clear limitations under full-scale war conditions.

Key safeguards:

• High safety standards and SOPs. International missions operate according to clearly defined internal procedures. If the risk of shelling increases, operations are immediately suspended, as demonstrated by the response of NPA Secretary General Raymond Johansen.
• Quality equipment and protective gear. Deminers working for international organizations receive certified personal protective equipment, including body armor, helmets, and protective visors, as well as modern detection equipment.
• Insurance and medical support. International organizations provide medical insurance covering treatment in the event of injury, as well as compensation for families in the event of an employee’s death.

The limitations of these safeguards:

• No military protection. Deminers are civilians. They do not carry weapons and do not have access to heavy armor or electronic warfare systems capable of protecting them against drones.
• A legal vacuum in force-majeure situations. No insurance policy or contract can compensate for the loss of a human life. If the security situation deteriorates critically, international organizations may simply suspend or withdraw their missions, leaving Ukraine to deal with the problem alone.

3. The Consequences of Suspending International Demining Operations

NPA’s decision to suspend operations in Ukraine is a logical step aimed at protecting its personnel. At the same time, it represents a serious setback for the country’s overall security.

• Slower recovery. Thousands of hectares of fertile agricultural land and critical infrastructure facilities could once again remain classified as hazardous.
• Economic losses. The agricultural sector in liberated regions depends directly on the pace of demining operations.
• A domino effect. Other major donors and mine-action operators could follow NPA’s example if security risks are deemed unacceptable.

4. The Way Forward: How Should the System Change?

To protect Ukrainian deminers while maintaining the pace of land clearance, humanitarian demining practices must be urgently reformed.

• Transition to robotic systems. Manual work by deminers should be reduced as much as possible during technical survey and other high-risk stages.
• Integration of mobile electronic warfare systems. Demining teams operating in open terrain need protection against FPV drones.
• Updating international protocols. IMAS standards should be adapted to the realities of modern, high-intensity conventional warfare.

The tragedy in the Kherson region demonstrates that humanitarian demining in Ukraine is no longer simply about eliminating the remnants of a past conflict. It has become a full-fledged component of national security, carried out directly within the threat zone.

International guarantees provide financial and material stability, but without technological protection against aerial and artillery threats, Ukrainian deminers will remain under constant threat from the enemy.

The challenge is therefore not only to clear Ukraine’s contaminated territory, but also to ensure that those carrying out this vital work can survive long enough to complete it.