Prince Harry makes historic landmine visit in Ukraine | Royal | News

Wearing a full uniform with a pilot headset, Harry flew an AI-powered drone that detected and mapped the location of deadly explosives, even operating a robot used to lift explosives from the ground. HALO Trust is a UK charity that aims to save lives and help communities recover after conflict by making land safe.

Harry today paid his respects at the memorial service in Bucha for the civilian victims of the Russian occupation, which took place between 27 February and 31 March 2022.

According to the aid agency, the land and buildings around Bucha were littered with deadly mines and unexploded ordnance, including missiles, bombs and grenades.

But after the charity’s numerous efforts to clear the area, much of the land around Bucha is now deemed safe.

Harry said: “It’s amazing to see technology transforming the HALO Trust’s work, making demining smarter, faster and safer.

“When my mother visited Angola nearly three decades ago, deminers were working on hands and knees to uncover hidden explosives. Now they also use drones, artificial intelligence and robots for greater precision and protection.

“This is not only progress, it is saving lives. HALO’s demining teams are helping farmers fearlessly plant and harvest land despite the war. Their efforts mean that one day displaced Ukrainians will be able to return home to safe communities.

“I’m incredibly proud to support this next generation of demining. Ukraine is still at war, but HALO’s work brings safety and hope.”

HALO has been clearing mines in Ukraine for a decade and continues its life-saving work despite the challenges of the ongoing conflict.

HALO Ukraine Program Director Miles Hawthorn said: “The scale of the challenge in Ukraine is enormous and mine action needs to be aligned with technological innovation to clear land safely and quickly.

“With the right investment in this new technology, we can work smarter, safer and faster than ever before.”