The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine today announced the graduation of 15 specialists who have completed a pioneering Training of Trainers (ToT) course for underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) operations - a critical milestone in scaling Ukraine's capacity to clear explosive hazards from its vast waterways.
The newly certified instructors, representing the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), the Special State Transportation Service of Ukraine (SSTS), the National Police of Ukraine (NPU), the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC), and the National Mine Action Authority, now form Ukraine's first unified national training team. They are equipped to train all future operators of Deep Trekker Revolution ROVs, exponentially expanding the country's ability to clear vital water bodies such as canals and rivers.
An estimated 13,500 square kilometers of Ukraine's aquatic areas - including the Dnipro River, lakes, and Black Sea coastlines - are potentially contaminated with explosive remnants of war. While SESU divers have cleared 190 square kilometers and removed over 2,800 explosive devices since the start of the full-scale invasion, this represents just 1.41% of the total estimated contamination.
Serhiy Reva, Head of the Department for Organizational Work on Humanitarian Demining at Ukraine's State Emergency Service, said modern humanitarian demining would be impossible without innovation. "The use of remotely operated underwater vehicles is not just a technical upgrade; it's a change in the philosophy of security," Reva said. "These technologies allow us to perform complex underwater tasks with minimal risk to our specialists and maximum efficiency."
"We are grateful to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and international partners for their systematic support - for not just transferring equipment, but for helping to form an expert community capable of training others and scaling this knowledge across all regions of Ukraine," Reva added.
"This is an investment in the safe future of our people and in the recovery of the country after the war."
The Deep Trekker Revolution ROV systems enable safe location and identification of ordnance at depths up to 300 meters, overcoming severe operational challenges including zero visibility, strong currents, and heavy siltation - conditions that make traditional diving operations exceptionally dangerous.
"ROV technology fundamentally transforms how we approach underwater demining," said Yevhen Radchenko, an underwater deminer and instructor with SESU who participated in the course. "In near-zero visibility and strong currents, we can now deploy these robots to safely locate and identify explosive devices before any diver enters the water. This isn't just about efficiency - it's about bringing our people home safely every day."
Deputy Economy Minister of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravainyi emphasized that clearing waterways is essential to both national recovery and global food security.
"The Black Sea coastline and the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta are vital waterways for Ukraine's grain exports, and when we clear them, we're tackling global food insecurity," Bezkaravainyi said. "This training boosts the sophisticated capacity needed to protect critical infrastructure, restore our export logistics, and return waters to safe use - in particular for irrigating the fields of southern Ukraine."
The training and equipment supply were made possible through financial support from the governments of the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, and Luxembourg.
"The Netherlands is proud to stand with Ukraine and our fellow donor partners in supporting the Mine Action Programme," said Robert Dekker, Head Political Department, Counsellor, Embassy of the Netherlands. "Clearing these waterways is a humanitarian necessity and a prerequisite for lasting peace and recovery. This initiative exemplifies how targeted technical support from international and national actors can directly enhance the safety and resilience of the Ukrainian people."
Rana El-Houjeiri, Senior Advisor and Head of Policy and Programme Coherence at UNDP in Ukraine, highlighted the program's focus on long-term sustainability.
"This ToT is a game-changer because it moves beyond simply providing equipment or technical know-how - it's about institutional building, self-sufficiency, and national ownership," El-Houjeiri said. "By establishing a a coordinated national action, Ukraine can ensure coherent implementation and long-term sustainability across all key state entities. This is a strategic investment in Ukraine's future, enabling the country to manage the long-term clearance effort efficiently and safely."
As part of its Mine Action Programme (MAP) commitment to clear mines and unexploded ordnance, UNDP is developing national standards, providing specialized equipment, and building capacity across Ukraine's demining sector. The organization plans to complete supply of a total of 60 Deep Trekker Revolution ROVs to national operators by the end of 2026, further accelerating the country's clearance capabilities.
