'We need more': Ukrainian ambassador makes plea for extra de-mining equipment
Larysa Gerasko told an Oireachtas committee that Russian missiles have destroyed 80% of Ukraine's electricity stations and that civilians have to make do with four to five hours of electricity per day. Picture: David Creedon
The Ukrainian ambassador has urged Ireland to supply more de-mining equipment to protect civilians from being killed or maimed as the scale of mine contamination in the country will take 10 years to clear, at a cost of €37bn.
Larysa Gerasko told an Oireachtas committee that Russian missiles have destroyed 80% of Ukraine's electricity stations and that civilians have to make do with four to five hours of electricity per day.
She said the country faced “huge problems” and warned that civilians will have an “extremely difficult” winter when the average temperature is around -5C and can drop to -20C.
Ms Gerasko said Ukraine could guarantee Ireland that any provision of air defence systems would be used purely in locations to protect civilians, and the civilian energy infrastructure, from Russian missiles and unmanned drones.
Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, the ambassador said 156,000 sq kms of Ukraine, a quarter of the country, was potentially very dangerous for people because of mines and unexploded ordnance.
“This is an area twice the size of Ireland and around 6m people in Ukraine are in danger,” Ms Gerasko said.
She thanked Ireland and the Defence Forces for providing de-mining training to Ukrainian soldiers and supplying them with two pieces of demining equipment. “But we need more,” she told committee members.
She said she had visited one of two companies in Ireland that manufactures de-mining equipment and said the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence was very interested in getting more. She added:
The ambassador said that almost 80% of Ukraine's thermal power generation plants have been destroyed by Russian attacks, including the massive bombardment last March across the entire country.
She said the destruction to energy systems would cost €50bn to rebuild and said people have only four-to-five hours of electricity every day.
“Unfortunately this winter and autumn will be extremely difficult for our civilians,” she said.
“Our winters are very cold, we will face huge problems with the heating system and everything else. We need to rebuild before winter.”
Independent deputy for Kildare South and former Army officer Cathal Berry, said Ireland’s financial commitment to Ukraine was restricted to non-lethal aid.
He asked the ambassador that if Ireland financed the purchase of an air defence system to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure against Russian missiles and drones — both of which, he said, were unmanned – could Ukraine guarantee the system would only be used in that situation.
Ms Gerasko said: “I can assure you, we can locate air defence protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure – no doubt”.
Mr Berry said Ireland had a responsibility to try and protect civilians and said he hoped “policy-makers” were listening to the ambassador’s remarks.
Ms Gerasko said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – the biggest in Europe with six nuclear reactors – was under the control of the Russian army.
She said President Vladimir Putin was holding this plant "hostage" and that he was putting the world in danger of nuclear disaster.
