Contractual Basis of Mine Action as a Component of the Restoration of Ukraine’s Natural Resource Potential

In the context of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression and the widespread contamination of Ukraine’s territory with landmines and other explosive remnants of war, the legal regulation of contractual relations in the field of humanitarian demining is of critical importance for ensuring the effective and transparent implementation of demining activities and the sustainable restoration of the country’s natural resource potential. The aim of this study is to identify the specific features of contractual regulation in humanitarian demining as a key component of post-conflict ecological recovery, to reveal existing legal gaps, and to develop practical recommendations for improving the regulatory framework for mine action within the broader environmental security context. The research adopts a desk-based methodology, focusing on the analysis of current Ukrainian legislation, international treaties, environmental and legal policy frameworks, and reports by national authorities (e.g., the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine) and international institutions such as the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. Particular attention is paid to the practice of public procurement in the field of humanitarian demining (via the Prozorro system), which allows for the identification of common contract models, clarification of their legal regulation, and diagnosis of key obstacles to implementation. Through a comparative approach, the study also reviews international documents, including the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), the UN PERAC Guidelines on environmental assessments in post-conflict settings, and the provisions of the Ottawa Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The interdisciplinary framework of the study enables an integrated understanding of demining contracts not only as legal instruments but also as tools for the sustainable management and restoration of damaged ecosystems. The findings of the research can be integrated into Ukraine’s national policy on post-war recovery and contribute to enhancing the legal and institutional foundations of environmental safety.