Ukrainian ecosystems have suffered $65 bln damage due to Russia’s war – PM Shmyhal

Russia's war against Ukraine has resulted in an unprecedented level of environmental devastation, causing catastrophic pollution and posing a threat to biodiversity. Recent estimates show that the damage inflicted on Ukrainian ecosystems totals a staggering $65 billion.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, announced that.

The issue was brought to the attention of attendees at the conference's discussion on Environmental Safety, which was part (namely, point 8) of the Peace Formula proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The event was held in Helsinki, and several high-ranking officials participated, including Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak.

The Ukrainian Prime Minister has stated that, based on the most recent estimates, the war has caused $65 billion worth of damage to Ukrainian ecosystems.

This includes:

• the destruction of one-third of Ukrainian forests,
• and 20% of nature conservation areas due to hostilities and bombings.

Additionally, the war threatens 35% of Europe's biodiversity, which Ukraine is responsible for preserving.

The depletion of natural resources and destruction of ecosystems not only disrupt the delicate ecological balance but also pose a threat to human lives, the future of agriculture, and the country's economic stability.

Ukraine is ready to take the lead in developing a strategy to overcome these challenges, Yermak emphasized.

The official emphasized that the main priority is establishing a shared vision for safeguarding nature and people's lives. Shmyhal also outlined critical objectives for the joint strategy, including:

• monitoring, documenting, and reporting on all environmental consequences, impacts, losses, and damages resulting from Russia's aggression in Ukraine;
• gathering valuable feedback and technical input from Ukrainian partners;
• coordinating the following steps to hold the Russian aggressor accountable for their environmental crimes against Ukraine.

"Environmental security is a prerequisite for economic and social development. That's why we must find solutions and resources and how best to protect and restore our nature and ecology," Shmyhal emphasized.

For reference:

It should be noted that the Russian military established camps on the grounds of the Stone Graves Reserve near the village of Nazarivka in the Nikolsky area of the Mariupol district.

In addition, 80% of the forest plantations of the "Sviati Hory" national park in the north of Donetsk region were destroyed due to the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. The damage to the national park's environment was preliminarily estimated at about 16 billion hryvnias.