Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has a negative impact on the environment. Shelling of forests, marine ecosystems, and industrial facilities causes widespread and catastrophic damage that Ukrainians will have to deal with for years to come. UNN has collected basic information about the consequences of Russian aggression.
Damage to the environment of Ukraine from the war
The Ministry of Environmental Protection reported in early June that the amount of damage caused to the environment due to Russian aggression already amounts to UAH 3.9 trillion. It is noted that these indicators are constantly updated due to constant Russian attacks on Ukraine. Also, these indicators take into account only the controlled territory of Ukraine, because it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to assess the damage in the occupied territories.
The impact of the war on the environment of Ukraine
Forests, reservoirs and soils are suffering from Russian aggression, which are poisoned as a result of, in particular, the use of chemical weapons by the Russians.
In April of this year, the Ministry of Environmental Protection reported that the war had disrupted the natural balance - plants are disappearing, animals are dying, and their habitats are being destroyed. For example, populations of bustards, cranes and even bat populations have decreased by tens of percent in the areas of hostilities.
One of the most serious damages caused by the Russian Federation is the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, the poisoning of the Seim River in Sumy region, the oil spill in the Kerch Strait due to the accident of the Russian tankers "Volgoneft-212" and "Volgoneft-239" and the semi-destroyed state of the Chernobyl confinement.
Serhiy Zibtsev, Professor of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Head of the Regional Eastern European Fire Monitoring Center, said that more than 2 million hectares of forests were destroyed due to the war started by Russia.
The aggression of the Russian Federation also affects the air quality in Ukraine. For example, in Zaporizhzhia region alone, 269 cases of emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere due to shelling and fires caused by hostilities were recorded. The total amount of damage caused to the environment as a result of air pollution exceeded 269 million 893 thousand hryvnias.
In addition, in March, the Ministry of Environmental Protection reported that about 25% of the total territory of Ukraine is contaminated with explosive substances, 557 mines are under Russian occupation. Also occupied 10 national parks, 2 biosphere reserves and 8 nature reserves.
Another problem is construction waste, which is generated by Russian shelling of houses and infrastructure in Ukraine.
In April 2025, Oleg Bondarenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, reported to UNN that there are already 50 sites for the storage of construction waste in Ukraine.
There are up to 50 sites in Ukraine for the storage of construction waste due to Russian aggression.
World Environment Day
Every year since 1973, World Environment Day has been celebrated on June 5 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which is the largest global platform for informing the public about environmental issues.
Time is running out and nature is in emergency mode. To keep global warming below 1.5°C this century, annual greenhouse gas emissions need to be halved by 2030. Without action, the impact of air pollution exceeding safe levels will increase by 50% over the decade, and the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems will almost triple by 2040.
People need urgent action to address these pressing issues.
Prospects for environmental restoration and protection in Ukraine
Experts in the field of engineering and environmental research of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise (KNDISE) last year told UNN that Ukraine will need a decade to restore the ecosystem after a full-scale war. For example, it will take 30-50 years to fully restore forests, 10-20 years for water resources, and 10 to 40 years for protected areas.
Ukraine is currently struggling with the environmental consequences of the war, including through attracting international assistance, including financial assistance.
Also in April, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the creation of the Institute for Environmental Recovery and Development of Ukraine. This is the first state institution that will systematically study the environmental challenges of the post-war period.
Combating mine pollution in Ukraine
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine and the national mine action operator UDS have signed a memorandum of cooperation on humanitarian demining and environmental restoration.
The purpose of the memorandum is to jointly search for donors for projects in forestry and water management, and to demine the territory of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. It also concerns cooperation to attract national and international grant resources to finance humanitarian programs and environmental restoration projects.
In March 2025, the World Bank, assessing the situation in Ukraine, stated that it would take about $30 billion to completely demine the territories of Ukraine.
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