Over $1.5 Million Raised for Demining Efforts in Ukraine through UNITED24 Campaign
More than $1.5 million has been raised through UNITED24’s “Step by Step” fundraising initiative to support humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine. The campaign, organized in partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, the national demining platform “Demine Ukraine”, and the Humanitarian Demining Center, aims to clear explosive remnants of war left behind by Russian occupation forces.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy.
The funds will go toward making several heavily contaminated areas safe again, including a school, kindergarten, and public park in the village of Hrakove (Kharkiv region), a hospital in Vysokopillia (Kherson region), and the Fenevytske and Makarivske forest districts in Kyiv region.
“Humanitarian demining is more than clearing land, it’s about saving lives, enabling safe return, and restoring access to farmland,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko. “The successful completion of this fundraiser proves the world stands with Ukraine. Every donor, every shared message made a difference. Only together can we accelerate this critical work and move Ukraine closer to a secure future step by step.”
The month-long campaign drew support from over 120 countries and featured involvement from UNITED24 ambassador Liev Schreiber, Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hütz, and the Help Ukraine Now organization.
Among the sites to be cleared, Hrakove stands out due to the extensive contamination; approximately 90% of the village’s territory was mined. In one household alone, 178 butterfly mines were recovered during the clearance process.
Ukraine remains the most heavily mined country in the world, with over 138,000 square kilometers of land potentially contaminated by explosive ordnance. This poses severe risks to civilian life and restricts both economic and social recovery. So far, over 35,000 square kilometers have been returned to safe use, including farmland demined under the government’s compensation program.
The “Step by Step” initiative represents a vital stride in making Ukraine’s liberated regions safe again and highlights the global community’s enduring commitment to Ukraine’s recovery.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine and the European Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the defence industry.