Ukrainians turn to Cambodia for help to clear land mines

• The Ukrainians will receive training from Cambodian experts.
• Both Russia and Ukraine had deployed anti-vehicle mines.
• A resolution denouncing Russia’s incursion was co-sponsored by nearly 100 U.N. members, including Cambodia.

Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Due to their experience in removing the remnants of nearly three decades of war, the world’s greatest professionals in Cambodia are educating fifteen Ukrainian deminers.

The Cambodian Mine Action Center, a government organisation in charge of managing the removal of land mines and explosive ordnance in Cambodia, is hosting the Ukrainian deminers. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is sponsoring the seven-day programme, which started on Monday.

The Ukrainians will receive training from Cambodian experts at the Mine Action Technical Institute in the central province of Kampong Chhnang, visit demining sites in the northwestern province of Battambang, and visit a museum devoted to land mines and unexploded ordnance in the province of Siem Reap, which is home to the demining centre.

Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organisation, claimed in June that Russia is employing land mines in Ukraine “that are impeding food production, causing civilian casualties and suffering.”

It stated that while both Russia and Ukraine had deployed anti-vehicle mines, only Russia was known to have employed prohibited antipersonnel mines throughout the conflict.

After nearly three decades of conflict that ended in the late 1990s, Cambodia was covered in land mines and other explosive ordnance. People are still dying from an estimated 4 million to 6 million unexploded bombs that are still unaccounted for.

Nearly 20,000 people have been killed and about 45,000 injured by unexploded war bombs since the conclusion of the combat, however the average annual death toll has decreased from several thousand to less than 100.

The United Nations has sent thousands of Cambodian deminers to operate in Africa and the Middle East over the past ten years, making them some of the most experienced in the world.

In a November phone call with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen promised to send Cambodian demining specialists to assist in the training of their Ukrainian counterparts.

Heng Ratana stated on Monday that the number of deminers to be sent and their destination have not been decided. Hun Sen has stated that the Cambodian deminers will be transported to Poland, a staging area for significant help to Ukraine.

The offer came after Hun Sen, in an uncommon move for a country that often identifies itself with Russia and China, denounced Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, declaring that “Cambodia is always against any country that invades another country.”

A resolution denouncing Russia’s incursion was co-sponsored by nearly 100 U.N. members, including Cambodia.

Demining aid has previously been given to Ukraine by a number of other nations, notably the US and Germany.