Kyiv, 27 October 2025 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine has handed over 10 specialized vehicles – mobile mini-laboratories for the collection and transportation of soil and water samples – to the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine. The equipment was procured under the Environmental Damage Assessment project, which is funded by the Government of Sweden.

The new mobile mini-laboratories will enable environmental inspectors to work safely in areas affected by hostilities. Each unit is equipped with unmanned quadcopters for safe environmental reconnaissance of territories, professional-grade soil and water sampling tools that meet international standards, and portable refrigeration units to ensure proper storage of collected samples. To secure reliable communications and data transmission in the field, every mini-laboratory is also fitted with a satellite internet connectivity system.

Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ukraine Christophoros Politis emphasized that environmental recovery is a crucial part of rebuilding a resilient Ukraine. “Assessing environmental damage is an investment in Ukraine’s future – it helps ensure that reconstruction is not only rapid but also sustainable and evidence-based,” Politis said.

Catarina Nilsson, First Secretary, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, added: "This is not just equipment – it is a tool for improving environmental monitoring in Ukraine, also in the longer term. We support Ukrainian environmentalists so that they can assess environmental damage and protect the country's natural heritage, even under the most difficult conditions.”

Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Zubovych noted that Ukraine is moving towards a new model of environmental control – one that is transparent, digital, and preventive. “These mini-labs will become part of the infrastructure of new local environmental control offices – an innovative model that we are already testing in six regions,” Zubovych said. “This is a practical step towards bringing environmental control in Ukraine into line with EU standards.”

Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management Olena Kryvoruchkina, commented: "Today, we see how the support from UNDP and Sweden helps Ukraine not only address the consequences of war but also build a modern, preventive environmental control system to protect nature for future generations."

Oleksandr Subbotenko, Acting Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine, noted: “These mobile mini-laboratories are a key tool of the reform we are implementing. Thanks to the new equipment, inspectors will be able to conduct on-site sampling, promptly record environmental damage, and act based on reliable data. The support of our international partners is not only a sign of solidarity but also an investment in Ukraine’s environmental security.”

The handover of the mobile mini-laboratories is part of UNDP and Sweden’s broader effort to strengthen Ukraine’s environmental institutions. The Environmental Damage Assessment Project envisages the modernization of technical infrastructure, specialized training for environmental inspectors, and the updating of methodologies to ensure that assessments meet international standards.

Earlier this year, via the same project, Sweden and UNDP provided Ukraine with advanced laboratory equipment for asbestos detection, as well as chemical reagents and laboratory consumables for monitoring of Black Sea pollution.

Media Inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications and Advocacy, yuliia.samus@undp.org