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Large areas in Ukraine have been mined since the beginning of the war. A Bern foundation has specialized in efficient mitigation. Interest in Swiss technology is great. But sponsors are still missing.
The white-painted monster called “Digger D250” weighs 12 tons and has 250 hp. It is reminiscent of a small tank and has a proud price: the tracked vehicle, which an employee of the “Digger Foundation” sets in motion by remote control for demonstration purposes, costs around 700,000 francs.
The foundation independently developed the model from the mechanics and electronics to the software. In the workshops of the former armory in Tavannes (BE), employees weld the engine and individual parts together. Managing director Frédéric Guerne founded the non-profit organization a quarter of a century ago.
Sought-after know-how from the Bernese Jura
Here, of all places, where guns were once stored, “Digger” produces technology that destroys other weapons. Interest in know-how from the Bernese Jura is growing significantly due to the recent war in Europe. CEO Frédéric Guerne has just returned from the Ukraine reconstruction conference in Lugano. Demining is crucial for the country’s reconstruction.
Almost every application mentions up to ten machines.
He has received a dozen inquiries from private individuals, farmers, foundations, companies or circles close to the government, but also from the Ukrainian community in Switzerland. “In addition, almost every application mentions up to ten machines,” says Guerne.
Financial guarantees are missing
The “Digger Foundation” with its 20 employees cannot cover the demand alone. One to a maximum of two such special vehicles per year can be constructed. That is why they are looking for domestic and foreign partners who could help to expand capacities.
But in addition to material supply bottlenecks, the team in Tavannes is also being hampered by financial problems. “At the moment applications are coming in, but nobody has the money,” explains Guerne. “We have to find people who are willing to donate and help Ukraine in this way.”
High efficiency, more safety
Time is of the essence in the war-torn country, on whose grain deliveries numerous countries in North Africa and the Middle East depend. Guerne estimates that around 160,000 square kilometers of land is mined. This corresponds to four times the area of Switzerland. However, there are no secure, reliable figures.
Harvesting on fields in Ukraine would be too dangerous in many places. Efficient mechanical demining would be all the more important. However, manual defusing, in which people risk their lives, is still the most common. “One person does not manage more than 5 to 10 square meters per day. A device like ours covers 500,000 square meters per hour.»
Never before has the mine problem been of such proportions.
The diggers have already been deployed in 17 countries. Even mines with up to ten kilograms of explosives cannot harm them. Chief engineer Frédéric Guerne summed up the recent war as surpassing everything he had seen before. “Never before has the mine problem been of such magnitude.”