The environment is often called the silent victim of war. Humanity does not immediately see the detrimental impact of hostilities on the ecosystem, but the consequences are felt hundreds of years later.
On March 26, 2025, a public discussion, "Ecocide: russian occupation of Ukraine’s nature reserve fund, destruction of ecosystems due to hostilities, ecological consequences of war," was held at the War Museum.
The moderator of the event, Museum researcher Inna Yermakova, spoke about the general condition of protected areas, the consequences of the russian occupation of nature conservation areas, cases of potential environmental damage caused by russian aggression, and recorded crimes.
Oleksii Vasyliuk, co-founder and chairman of the board of UNCG, an expert in protected areas and biodiversity protection, presented his professional analysis of the scale of damage caused to the environment. He noted: "Burnt industrial facilities, destroyed dams and treatment plants, flooded coal mines, burned forests, shelling of oil depots, oil refineries, and other industrial facilities lead to emissions of toxic substances into the air; soils contaminated with mines and shells, dead animals and destroyed plants, nuclear blackmail is the work and weapons of the russian occupiers who are waging hostilities on the territory of our country. However, it is naive to hope that the war will remain within the borders of Ukraine. Russia’s ecocidal policy will have direct negative consequences for millions of people and beyond the borders of our state. Polluted air and poisoned water threaten other countries and their ecosystems."
Oleksii presented an overview of the state of temporarily occupied Ukrainian nature reserves (as far as remote monitoring allows specialists) and outlined a list of crimes that we interpret as ecocidal actions of the russian occupation regime. We remind you that 900 nature reserves, which constitute 44% of the total area of reserves and national parks in Ukraine, are located on temporarily occupied lands or in combat zones.
For a future assessment of the scale of the damage the russians have caused to our nature, it is crucial to record the initial state of Ukrainian protected areas and protected natural complexes. Therefore, the Luhansk Nature Reserve was mainly discussed during the public discussion.
Serhii Hlotov, PhD in Biology, co-author of a collective monograph, presented a scientific publication that records the state of the Luhansk Nature Reserve before the war. The scientist emphasized that the crimes of the russians will have long-term consequences for the biodiversity of Ukraine, and their burden will fall on the shoulders of future generations.
Serhii shared his vision of environmental recovery after the war. "We are on the threshold of a unique experience," he noted. "The tragedy that befell our nature can be an impetus for the creation of new environmental strategies that will combine scientific achievements, international support, and the efforts of local communities." According to the scientist, the Ukrainian experience can become the basis for new international environmental protocols that will help other countries overcome the consequences of the war.
During a lively discussion, the participants considered possible ways to restore damaged ecosystems and the need for international support in preserving Ukraine’s natural heritage.
The War Museum has become a platform for drawing attention to war’s environmental consequences and communicating with conservation and biodiversity conservation experts and the general public.
