SP calls for Swiss armored mine clearance vehicles for Ukraine

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Is Switzerland officially doing enough to help war-torn Ukraine? No, says the SP, and demands that the Bundesrat loan six of its twelve mine clearance vehicles for civilian purposes to Ukraine. “If the Bundesrat does not want to make any contribution to the re-export of weapons, then it should at least provide strong assistance in demining Ukraine,” SP party leader Roger Nordmann (50) told CH Media newspapers. International pressure on Switzerland to do more for Ukraine is very high, says Nordmann.

He thinks of the armored mine clearance vehicle G/Mirm Pz Leo, of which Switzerland has several. But it is important for him to mention that the Swiss armored mine clearance vehicles can only be delivered to Ukraine if there are clear conditions. “They should not be used on the front.” Moreover, they would first have to be demilitarized and could only be controlled by citizens of Ukraine. The export would therefore not be easily reconcilable with current Swiss wartime export regulations.

Minesweepers instead of tanks

Therefore, it is probably better if Switzerland passes several Digger Foundation deminers from the Bernese Jura instead of the Leo demining tank, Nordmann admits to Blick. A major advantage of these vehicles is that they can be controlled remotely.

Developed and built by the Digger Foundation, the tracked vehicle is a cross between a tractor and an armored vehicle. The armored machine weighs twelve tons and has a mine tiller at the front that digs out the ground. The system plows through the ground at high speed and destroys anti-personnel or anti-tank mines by crushing or detonating them.

Large areas cultivated

The Digger should also be easier to export to Kiev than the mine clearing tank. According to CH Media, there are already plans for this. By the end of the year, an excavation deminer financed by Swiss Solidarity will be brought to Kiev.

Experts estimate that about 160,000 square kilometers are being mined in Ukraine. This is equivalent to four times the area of ​​Switzerland. However, there are no reliable figures on this. “In many places, harvesting on fields in Ukraine is dangerous. It is all the more important that Switzerland is committed to mechanical mine clearance,” says Nordmann. (she)

Source:Blick