Invaders caused more than UAH 600 B in environmental damage to Luhansk region

The environmental destruction inflicted by foreign military actions on the Luhansk region has reached a staggering total of nearly UAH 618 billion. This serves as a glaring testament to the extensive harm brought to one of Ukraine’s critical regions since the onset of the large-scale conflict.

During a virtual conference titled “Forest Resources: Modern Challenges and Prospects,” the head of the Luhansk region underscored the severe environmental ramifications stemming from the military conflict. “Russia’s aggressive actions have led to unprecedented damage to our environment. So far, in Luhansk alone, the costs have soared beyond UAH 617 billion, and this figure continues to escalate. The most massive impacts have been in the form of land contamination, accounting for UAH 314.8 billion, and extensive forest fires, contributing over UAH 298.4 billion. It’s imperative that the aggressors bear the liability for these losses,” he articulated.

The total damage accounts for the contamination of soil by mines, ammunition, and hazardous chemicals, compounded by the aftermath of widespread forest infernos experienced over the recent times. Villages situated within the occupied zones were engulfed by fire, leading to both environmental devastation and tragic loss of human lives.

Another pressing matter concerns the numerous mines across the territory. Neglected and unmanaged, these mines no longer conduct vital water drainage operations, leading to the pollution of water bodies with detrimental substances. This exacerbates the already critical situation of water contamination in the region, further stressing the local ecosystem’s resilience.

Efforts to extinguish the rampant forest fires remain largely absent, which allows the destruction to persist—transforming the once-vast lush landscapes into barren, charred remains. Estimates suggest that the fires continuously consume around 100 hectares of land daily, magnifying the scale of ecological ruin in the region.

In summary, the Luhansk region faces severe ecological challenges due to the conflict. From extensive land contamination to unrelenting forest fires and unchecked industrial hazards, the environmental toll sets a grim outlook. An urgent response is imperative to mitigate these damages, hold the responsible parties accountable, and embark on a robust restoration path for the affected ecosystems.