A Ukrainian separatist breakaway republic has begun work to remove land mines from over 250 hectares of farmland ahead of the spring sowing season, a local news agency reported Sunday.
The Russia-backed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), which last year formed its own independent government structures, is littered with mines and explosive materials after months of fighting with the Ukrainian army that cooled only recently after a peace deal was signed in Minsk last month.
DNR Acting First Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Dmitry Konakov told the Donetsk News Agency that “De-mining efforts will not cease for a single day."
“With the assistance of Defense Ministry specialists, 250 hectares of agricultural land will be freed from explosive materials,” he added.
The spring sowing campaign will take “five working days” and involve over 2,000 tractors, 852 sowing machines, 880 cultivators and a variety of related equipment, the agency quoted Konakov as saying.
Acting Agriculture and Food Minister Maxim Savenko earlier said the region was facing fertilizer shortages as a local plant had stopped work amid the fighting, which began last summer. The only source for the region's fertilizer needs is Russia, Savenko said, the Donetsk News Agency reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
