Ukraine will need decades to restore ecosystems after the war - Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise

Ukrainian ecosystems are constantly suffering from the hostilities. Experts in the field of engineering and environmental research from Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise (KFI) told UNN how long the restoration of affected ecosystems can take, which Russian actions most threaten the environment of Ukraine and what is the complexity of conducting an examination of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion.

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KFI experts note that the timeframe for the full recovery of Ukraine's ecosystems after the war varies depending on the type of ecosystem and the level of damage. Assuming that the war unleashed by russia against Ukraine ends tomorrow, different ecological systems will recover at different rates, and this process may take years or even decades.

For example, forests affected by shelling, fire, or logging may take 30-50 years to recover. Recovery will depend on the degree of soil destruction, natural regeneration capabilities, and human reforestation efforts

Water resources, including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, can suffer serious environmental losses due to pollution, destruction of dams and other hydraulic structures. According to experts, it may take 10-20 years to fully restore river ecosystems, including stabilizing water quality, restoring biodiversity, and cleaning aquifers.

Contaminated or mined land can become unusable for agriculture for decades. Their restoration will involve demining, cleaning up toxic substances, and restoring soil fertility. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 30 years, depending on the extent of the contamination and the restoration efforts.

The war also affected many areas of special environmental significance. They require specific restoration measures, such as demining, restoration of natural landscapes, reintroduction of animals, and control over the biological balance. This is especially true for endangered species, for which war can be a critical factor in survival. The process of restoration of protected areas can take from 10 to 40 years, according to KFI.

Urban green spaces and urbanized ecosystems damaged by the war can recover faster with active human intervention. However, given the scale of the destruction caused by Russian missile attacks, it may also take a long time to create comfortable conditions and a stable urban ecology

At the same time, experts point out that all forecasts depend on the extent of environmental damage, resources available for restoration, and environmental programs to be implemented after the war.

What actions of the Russians threaten the environment of Ukraine the most

Experts in the field of  engineering and Environmental Research of KNIISE note that shelling, rocket attacks and other types of military operations, accompanied by explosions, emit toxic substances, heavy metals and dangerous chemical compounds into the air, which pollute soils, water bodies, as well as negatively affect the air, causing damage to ecosystems and human health.

Military operations lead to the destruction of forests, agricultural land and nature reserves. Mines, shelling and fires cause serious damage to ecosystems, destroy biodiversity and natural resources that are critical to the ecological balance of the region.

The large number of mined agricultural and natural areas makes it impossible to use them safely. Mined land remains dangerous even decades after the war, reducing soil productivity and posing risks to wildlife.

Attacks on industrial facilities, power plants, oil storage facilities, chemical plants and dams can lead to large-scale leaks of harmful substances into the environment. For example, the destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station led to flooding of large areas, water supply disruption, and mass death of plants and animals.

In addition, one of the biggest threats is the threat to nuclear power plants, especially Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is under Russian occupation. Any accident at such facilities could have global consequences similar to the Chornobyl disaster

According to experts, these actions cause large-scale damage to Ukraine's ecological system and have long-term consequences that will require many years of restoration and rehabilitation efforts.

ecocide due to the bombing of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station by the russians

Specialists from Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise are investigating the undermining of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant by Russians. This examination, as well as other similar cases of mass destruction of infrastructure facilities, is carried out on the basis of a clearly established mechanism of forensic activities, the Institute noted. Forensic experts are working to establish all the circumstances of the case and to prepare a reliable evidence base for the Ukrainian and international courts.

The pre-trial investigation authorities have ordered a number of examinations into the incident. The primary information collected by law enforcement agencies, including thousands of eyewitness accounts, information from local governments in the affected areas, data from relevant monitoring services, state environmental control bodies, information from affected businesses, etc., is submitted for expert analysis. These stages are accompanied by cooperation between different expert units, including the involvement of specialists from international organizations that can conduct independent investigations. The results of the examination are included in the criminal proceedings, on the basis of which law enforcement agencies will be able to bring charges against those responsible for the crime

In particular, a number of studies are being conducted in various areas on the fact of the Kakhovka HPP explosion.

"The expert examination in terms of explosives research has now been completed. We can say exactly how the explosions took place, where explosive devices were installed, and how the explosions were carried out," the experts recalled.

At the same time, according to them, Engineering and environmental examinations are still ongoing, as well as work to establish the consequences of the explosion of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station by the Russian military.

The situation is complicated by the huge amount of information to analyze and the systematic continuation of the appointment of relevant studies on the fact of this tragedy, as the situation changes and new circumstances arise. For example, the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant led to  rapid shallowing of the reservoir and a massive fish kill in the Maryanske Zelenodolsk community. Questions are being addressed about the consequences in the context of bioresources, the damage caused to the fishery, and how long it will take to restore ecological balance. So in general, the study is very complex and requires a lot of effort

A large number of the main fundamental Institutes of Ukraine are involved in the work on the expertise: the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and its institutes, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Community Development, the Ministry of energy, the State Emergency Service, the Ministry of health, etc.

All of them, together with the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, are forming evidence for Ukraine to file a lawsuit against Russia in the International Criminal Court on the fact of ecocide against Ukraine.

"We can say in advance that we have already established the facts of ecocide," the experts said.

In general, Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise cooperates with international organizations, including the International Criminal Court. Such cooperation is important in the context of investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious international crimes committed during the Russian aggression against Ukraine.