Ukrainian expert: Mine threat in Karabakh will remain for years

The mine threat after the de-occupation of Karabakh remains an urgent problem to this day, almost three years after the end of the war, and will remain so for years, Ukrainian political scientist Oleksii Buryachenko told Report.

Buryachenko stressed that according to expert assessment, the return of all internally displaced persons to their historical lands may take about 10 years.

“Mines and ammunition of various types from the times of active hostilities are literally everywhere. Azerbaijan spends huge amounts of money and efforts to clear the de-occupied territory from dangerous war artifacts. But the process is very complex and laborious, which means it takes a lot of time,” he said.

According to the political scientist, the issue that now needs maximum intervention from the world community is to force Armenia to provide mine maps in order to assist Azerbaijan in clearing the territories from mine contamination.

“Ukrainians are well aware of what the territory occupied by the enemy is and what danger it poses even after the de-occupation. After all, Russian troops in Ukraine do not disdain anything and mine absolutely everything – children’s toys, schools, kindergartens, electrical switchboards and a huge number of absolutely civilian objects with the aim of causing maximum harm to the civilian population,” Buryachenko added.

The expert reminded that even before the war in Ukraine, in 2021, a government delegation led by Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov visited the liberated territories, in particular, the city of Aghdam to support Azerbaijan. The aim was also to learn from the country’s successful experience in demining.

“I want to emphasize that saving the lives of civilians is not only a matter for Azerbaijan, and it certainly should not be left alone with its problems - this is a matter of justice,” the expert said.

In conclusion, the political scientist said that Ukraine and Ukrainians, who remember the humanitarian assistance of the Azerbaijani people, will support any initiatives of Azerbaijan to clear the mines of the de-occupied territories and the desire to achieve sustainable peace in the region.