KYIV, UKRAINE, 23 April 2025 – As spring arrives in Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine, four teams of highly trained dogs, and their handlers, have been deployed to help detect landmines and explosive ordnance (EO). The teams are working in areas that were heavily shelled between spring and autumn 2022. A team of EO experts works with the dogs and their handlers to investigate any potential finds of explosives by the dogs, and to ensure that any explosives found are safely disposed of.
The dogs have been introduced in Ukraine to demonstrate a new technique for surveying land that is potentially contaminated with landmines. The government will then evaluate whether it should integrate Technical Survey Dogs into its national mine action approach.
Huge swathes of Ukraine are contaminated with landmines and EO, including cluster munitions, over three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. The use of technical survey dogs can speed up mine and EO detections significantly, because they ignore scrap metal and only sniff out the scent of explosives. This makes them much faster at finding landmines and other EO than humans using metal detectors. The APOPO dogs are used to supplement the work of demining organization Mines Advisory Group (MAG), which is using manual and mechanical clearance methods to demine previously occupied Ukrainian territories.The dogs’ handlers previously underwent extensive training in Cambodia at APOPO’s Dog Training Center and at a base near Kyiv with their canine partners, which are mix of Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherds. The teams that have deployed near Mykolaiv consist of 13 female and three male dog handlers, and 32 dogs.
Each handler constantly works with the same two dogs. Karina, one of the handlers, shares her experience working with her devotees: “I really love dogs. From the beginning, we found a connection and built trust in each other. Of course, some days we may 'argue,' but it never breaks our friendship. Training and working in the minefield are very different, but I feel we are doing well—no doubt about it. Our bond is getting stronger every day in the field.”
The project is a collaborative effort between MAG, which has been working to make land safe in Ukraine since 2022 and the mine-clearance organization APOPO, which specialise in the deployment of animals for the indication and clearance of landmines and other items of EO.
Funding for the initiative has come from the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) and the governments of Netherlands and Spain through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Director of FPI, Peter M. Wagner, said: “These dogs, with their exceptional ability to detect explosives, are an invaluable asset for surveying hazardous areas efficiently and safely. Thanks to this partnership, we’re making tangible progress in mitigating the deadly risks posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance. Our commitment to Ukraine’s security and resilience remains steadfast, and we will continue supporting efforts to restore communities affected by the war.”
UNDP Resident Representative Jaco Cilliers said: “Every mine detected is a life potentially saved. This effort goes beyond just surveying land – crucially, this work also contributes to the establishment of National Mine Action Standards, under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the National Mine Action Authority, which are specifically tailored to the unique context of Ukraine. By scaling up mine detection operations and supporting the development of these vital standards, we’re restoring hope and livelihoods,”
MAG Ukraine Country Director Jon Cunliffe said: “Dogs can play an important role in accelerating mine surveys in Ukraine. We will be evaluating the effectiveness of the dogs and offering as much support as we can to the Ukrainian government – particularly the National Mine Action Authorities and the National Mine Action Centre – to integrate such teams into their own response when the right conditions are in place.”
Nick Guest, APOPO’s Programme Manager for Ukraine, said: “The deployment of these Technical Survey Dog Teams brings to fruition months of training and preparation. It also marks a milestone for the Land Release process within Ukraine, with their ability to rapidly accelerate the process and assist the Ukrainian authorities in returning safe land back to local communities and productive use. We’re proud to be here assisting Ukraine and grateful to both the EU and UNDP for their strong support to this programme.”
To learn more about this project, click here.
Notes to the editor
About the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI)
Under the responsibility of the High Representative / Vice President (HRVP), the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) puts EU foreign policy into action. FPI actions range from rapid responses to crises or opportunities, to cooperation with high-income countries, election observations, or the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy budget and assistance measures under the European Peace Facility. Discover how we're contributing to make the EU a stronger security, geopolitical and geoeconomic actor and reinforcing EU's influence globally.
Humanitarian mine action is a key element of the support FPI has been mobilising for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, with a total funding of EUR 55 million up to date.
About UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active in Ukraine since 1993, focusing on initiatives to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and promote sustainable development. In response to the ongoing war, UNDP has intensified its efforts to support Ukraine's recovery and resilience.
UNDP works closely with the Government of Ukraine to support all aspects of humanitarian mine action, helping to coordinate national efforts and mobilize international assistance.
UNDP provides strategic guidance on the development and implementation of national mine action strategies and standards. It also facilitates safe returns, reconstruction, and recovery by delivering technical support, expert advice, and specialized equipment. To accelerate land release and restore agricultural productivity, UNDP leverages cutting-edge technologies, including satellite imagery, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Beyond clearance efforts, UNDP also supports critical services that save lives and restore dignity. This includes strengthening emergency medical care, as well as providing long-term rehabilitation, mental health care, and psychosocial support for individuals and communities affected by explosive hazards.
More info: https://www.undp.org/ukraine
About MAG
The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) is a global humanitarian and advocacy organisation that finds, removes and destroys landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs from places affected by conflict.
MAG also provides education programmes, particularly for children, so people can live, work and play as safely as possible until they clear the land.
The organisation also delivers work to reduce armed violence by educating people about the risks of small arms and light weapons and by destroying and marking weapons and helping authorities to safely store arms and ammunition.
Since 1989, MAG has helped over 20 million people in 70 countries rebuild their lives after war. In 1997, MAG shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in banning landmines.
More info: maginternational.org
About APOPO
APOPO is a global non-profit organization with over two decades of experience and expertise in the practical application of animal detection systems for landmines and explosives. Founded in 1997, APOPO initially developed and now deploys Mine Detection Rats (MDR) for clearance of mines and explosives and since 2017 has invested in a specialized mine detection dog training center that deploys dogs for unique technical survey roles - Technical Survey Dogs (TSD) This multi-faceted capacity has made APOPO an Industry leader in researching, training, and deploying animals for clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance. APOPO also plays an important advisory role in developing internationally accepted standards for Animal Detection Systems within the mine action industry.
APOPO’s animals have saved thousands of lives by efficiently surveying, clearing and safely disposing of over 155,744 landmines and Explosive Ordnance (EO) and returning nearly a 100 Million sqm of previously unusable land.
The organization currently has over 300 working dogs and rats, including 70 mine detection dogs, working across Africa, and Asia, making it the largest supplier of mine detection dogs in the world.
More info: apopo.org
Media enquiries:
MAG's Communications team: press@maginternational.org
APOPO: Lily Shallom lily.shallom@apopo.org +255 784 490 979
The European Union's Delegation to Ukraine: delegation-ukraine-press@eeas.europa.eu
UNDP: yuliia.samus@undp.org
