MRead in Ukraine September 2025: The Reality

After a successful DSEI UK, Adam Modd and I redeployed to Ukraine to gain a better understanding of the situation there. The scale of the problem is truly confronting and to see these brave deminers in action making such a difference to the shattered local communities is very humbling.

Despite the number of landmines and explosive remnants of war, as well as the continued Russian aggression of missiles and drones, the Ukrainians are steadfast in their determination to stand up to Russia, but also to simply get on with their lives. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Hopefully, the attached clip will give you a good idea of what it is like to be a deminer in the most mined company in the world and with modern mines facing them. It is an immense challenge - having media like Channel 10 News, SBS and the ABC covering it can only help.

We were assisted by so many people who are working so hard to support Ukraine. On Day 1, Paul Heslop from UNDP Ukraine sub-office in Crimea set the scene for us perfectly with his frank appraisal of how we need to be realistic and make things happen. The 'good idea fairy' has no place here!

Ed Crowther from UNDP in Europe and Central Asia was absolutely marvellous and I cannot thank him enough. We now have a range of potential partners, trials, manufacturing options and key people that we now know.

We were very fortunate to meet Oleh Stoiev from the Ministry of Economy Mine Action who gave us some excellent ideas on partnerships, certification, manufacturing, technical requirements and conducting trials.

We spent 3 days with The HALO Trust. They have been a superb partner and are fundamental to the successful development of our sensors. Peter Smith QGM and Bruce Edwards supported our visit and took us out onto the main minefields along the 3 x Russian axis advance in 2022. The devastation inflicted on the local communities is terrible and it is significantly worse in the east where the minefields are heavily contaminated. This is where R&D can pay dividends and HALO's R&D is very impressive.

We also met many other NGOs who make such a difference who gave us a broader understanding of their issues and approaches - including Mark Dawson MIExpE from FSD, Paul Mosley & Amelia Balic of Norwegian People's Aid, Jon Cunliffe from MAG (Mines Advisory Group) and Wayne Lomax from Danish Refugee Council.

Discussions with the Australian Ambassador Paul Lehmann and Defence Attache Tony Bennett, DSM were very useful and we have been keeping closely aligned with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to see how we can assist in a very small way.

We were humbled and awed by the scale of the challenges. However, you then see the brave deminers making a difference all day, every day in the riskiest of situations, against high threats and in all weathers. Their determination drives us on to develop something that will make a difference. Absolutely loved it and the link brings it to life.

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https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1El55rlswY3QLWkeG1Neb5YmxtRqDDoz7

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