Japan transferred Nikken mine clearing vehicles to Ukraine

Japan donated additional Nikken mine clearing vehicles to Ukrainian rescuers.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that the Japanese government donated two units this time.

The vehicles will be sent to the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions to perform the necessary tasks.

“We would like to thank the Government and the Embassy of Japan, as well as the JICA international cooperation agency, for their help and joint resilience in such difficult times for the country,” Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said.

Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori also expressed his admiration for the sappers who tirelessly clear the Ukrainian land of explosive devices.

Currently, the SES uses 42 mechanized mine-clearing vehicles. By the end of the year, one-third of the fleet will be Japanese-made.

By the end of this year, Ukraine will receive 14 mechanized mine-clearing vehicles from the Government of Japan and JICA and the remaining eight by April next year.

12 of them are made by NIKKEN, and another 10 are made by another Japanese manufacturer.

Previously, the Ukrainian delegation visited the NIKKEN mechanized mine clearing machines production facility and a training center for special vehicle operators in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Ihor Klymenko said that Ukrainian sappers are currently studying in Japan.

A repair facility is also being built in Ukraine to fix the equipment quickly.

In June, Ukrainian rescuers received 69 special vehicles for various purposes from partners from the UK, USA, Japan, and Estonia.