A memorandum of strategic cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining was concluded by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Croatian company DOK-ING. The document was signed during the Ukraine Mine Action Partner Coordination Workshop in Switzerland by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravayny and General Director of DOK-ING Gordan Pesic.
The document aims to formalize and strengthen the cooperation that has been ongoing between Ukraine and DOK-ING since 2022. Cooperation within the framework of the memorandum will focus on the development of the humanitarian demining market, support for Ukrainian operators, the implementation of modern robotic solutions, and the training of specialized specialists. The parties will pay special attention to the development of approaches to work in forest areas contaminated with explosives, including fire risk management and environmental safety.
DOK-ING is a Croatian manufacturer of robotic systems for humanitarian demining, which are widely used in Ukraine today. The company uses the unique experience of Croatia, which recently announced the complete completion of demining of its territory after more than 30 years of work. This experience is now being adapted to Ukrainian realities – much larger and more complex.
Igor Bezkaravayny, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, noted: “Humanitarian demining is a prerequisite for the restoration of the economy and the safe life of communities. Today, 69 DOK-ING machines are working in the State Emergency Service, the State Security Service and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, performing real tasks on the ground. We are grateful to the company for the free transfer of technology to Ukraine. This has allowed us to strengthen our demining capabilities. The signing of this memorandum is a step towards further development of this cooperation and a systematic approach to demining.”
Gordan Pesic, CEO of DOK-ING, emphasized: “We have invested significant resources in localization in Ukraine – we have a local partner, we are developing capabilities for maintenance, repair and partial production of components for machines. It is important for us that this presence works for the efficiency of demining, economic development, job creation and knowledge transfer. We see our role in Ukraine not only as a supplier of equipment, but also as a long-term partner – technological and operational – working together with the state and Ukrainian operators.” (Economy Ministry)