This weekend’s article “Swiss millions for demining robots” highlights the key role our demining machines play in speeding up and safeguarding humanitarian demining in Ukraine, for which the Swiss Conferation has this week confirmed they will donate three of our GCS-200 remote-controlled demining platforms, including expert training for operators from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and sustainable service and maintenance support across the three-year package.

The article, by Maximilian Jacobi, notes that nearly 60 of our machines are already deployed in Ukraine, demining territory in areas especially contaminated by explosive remnants of war (ERW), including Mykolaiv and Kharkiv. SESU currently operate twelve of these machines and clear explosive threats to restore civilian infrastructure and save lives. The three machines donated by Switzerland will bring this number to 15, and GCS are delighted to partner with the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport General Secretariat GS-DDPS and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.

Our GCS-200 machine can destroy explosive devices such as anti-personnel and anti-tank mines (section 4.2.2 of demining standard IMAS 09.50). After demining with a GCS-200 a follow-up inspection is carried out. A trained demining expert walks over the cleared area with a metal detector and checks whether any particularly deep-lying explosive objects have been left behind that need to be removed afterwards. Work carried out with a GCS-200 is therefore a mechanised demining operation with a follow-up check carried out in accordance with international standards. In this way, Ukrainians can return to their homes, restore their livelihoods and rebuild their economy, strengthening local communities and working for peace.

As Jacobi writes: “With demining, Switzerland has found a Ukrainian struggle it can utterly and completely support.” GCS remain at the forefront of the endeavour.