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Switzerland is supplying Ukraine with a remote-controlled mine clearing machine. The caterpillar detonates mines with a tiller, rendering them harmless. In Ukraine, an area of 160,000 square kilometers would be developed.
Specifically, it concerns a caterpillar vehicle the size of a small bulldozer, the Federal Public Service Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) announced on Thursday.
The mine clearing machine was developed and produced by the Digger Foundation based in Tavannes in the Bernese Jura.
Delivery in Sept
According to the communiqué, the machine is expected to be handed over to the Ukrainian emergency response service in September. At the same time, the Digger Foundation plans to train the deminers on site.
Together with the machine, Ukraine will receive a truck with a trailer and a package of spare parts for three years. According to the DDPS, the total cost is approximately CHF 1.2 million.
Switzerland has long been involved in humanitarian mine clearance. The army has been providing courses for Ukrainian specialists since last summer.
Worries of Viola Amherd
The delivery of the machine goes back to a personal initiative of Defense Secretary Viola Amherd, Digger Foundation director Frédéric Guerne told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
According to Guerne, Swiss Solidarity is financing a second device of the same type for Ukraine. It is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Planning and financing for a third aircraft are already underway.
Digger has also signed an agreement with a partner company in Kiev. The company should be allowed to produce remote-controlled cleanup trucks under license. According to the foundation, this mainly concerns the conversion of construction equipment for mine clearance in urban areas. The costs amounted to 1.5 million francs. The corresponding application was submitted to the Federal Agency for Development and Cooperation. (SDA/sq)
Source:Blick
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