Introducing the UDS “East” Humanitarian Demining Department!

The “East” Department operates in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions. The unit comprises five sapper teams, with a total of 57 specialists. Its primary tasks are non-technical and technical area surveys, manual demining, and demining using mechanized demining equipment (ORVBD).

💬 “Since April of this year, the department has been working in Kharkiv region. We have already cleared hundreds of hectares of land there. Our plan for this year is to clear at least 2,000 hectares,” says Ihor Ovcharuk, Head of the UDS “East” Humanitarian Demining Department.

According to him, the largest volume of UDS’s work is currently taking place in Kharkiv region, where most of the demining machines are deployed.

“In the near future, the personnel of the ‘East’ Department will pay taxes to the local community in Kharkiv region. To do this, we will register at a non-primary place of residence in one of the communities. Accordingly, 57 people will pay personal income tax to the local budget. This will amount to approximately 1 million hryvnias per month. As a Kharkiv resident, this is important to me.”

🔺 Each team in the “East” Department consists of experienced sappers equipped with high-quality gear—Trembita handheld metal detectors, Trembita broad-range metal detectors, and Mavic 3 drones. The teams are supported by modern vehicles, such as Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Transporter.

The department closely cooperates with other UDS units, namely the Mechanized Demining Department, the Non-Technical Survey Department, and the Special Operations Demining Department.

🔺 About the Head of the UDS “East” Humanitarian Demining Department:

Ihor Ovcharuk is a Colonel of the Civil Protection Service, a combat veteran, and an experienced mine-safety instructor. He joined the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in 2005 and rose from sapper to head of the Humanitarian Demining and Pyrotechnic Operations Unit at the Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv.

In May 2022, Ihor was injured during operations when he stepped on a PMN-2 anti-personnel mine and sustained shrapnel wounds to his arms, legs, and face. After rehabilitation, he resumed his vital mission of clearing his homeland from the debris of war.

He has been awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd Class, and later the Order of Courage, 2nd Class.