Russia caused damage to Ukraine's environment worth more than 37 billion euros

DIANA KRECHETOVA – WEDNESDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2022, 18:19

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, The Russian Federation has caused more than 37 billion euros worth of damage to the environment in Ukraine.

This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Yevhenii Fedorenko.

"The world must recognise that Russia is the biggest sponsor of terrorism in modern society. It is this country that uses nuclear, energy, and raw materials terror with the assistance of Belarus, [and] causes significant damage to the environment not only in Ukraine, but also throughout Europe," he emphasised during the Forum for Security Co-operation of the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] participating states.

According to the Ministry of Environment, as a result of forest fires, the burning of oil products, and the burning of industrial facilities, the atmospheric emissions throughout almost eight months of full-scale war have already exceeded 67 million tonnes.

Fedorenko believes that the Russian Federation, suffering defeats on the battlefield, purposefully strikes civilian infrastructure. On 10 October alone, more than 80 rockets were launched over Ukraine. Massive attacks using Iranian kamikaze drones were repeated on 17 October. This caused more than 30 fires.

"The aggressor country is deliberately destroying the Ukrainian water infrastructure. The latest example is the strikes on the dam of the Karachuniv Reservoir on the Inhulets River near Kryvyi Rih. As a result, the water in the river temporarily turned red. Contaminated water gets into transboundary rivers, the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov, and can reach neighbouring countries", emphasises the deputy head of the Ministry of Environment.

Fedorenko cited other examples that clearly demonstrate the scale of damage caused to Ukraine's environment:

• Russia has turned the most fertile chernozems [blacks soil - ed.] in the world into a huge minefield (almost a third of the territory of Ukraine); about 200,000 square kilometres [of chernozems - ed.] needs to be cleared of mines;
• More than 2.4 million hectares of forests liberated from the occupiers by the Armed Forces of Ukraine have suffered significant damage; they were burned and dug up with trenches. According to forecasts of the Ministry of Environment, it will take decades to recover them;
• 20% of protected areas in Ukraine are affected by the war, including Ramsar sites and the Emerald Network;
• 2,209 areas with deposits of energy resources, metals and minerals are under occupation; they are estimated to be worth 12.7 trillion euros.

In addition, the Russian Federation has not agreed to the creation of a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest in Europe. The occupiers regularly shell the territory and infrastructure around the ZNPP.

"We call on the international community to help bring the aggressor to justice for the sake of peace and security in the world. We thank those OSCE participating states that help us to resist this terror," Yevhenii Fedorenko emphasised.

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