A third of Ukrainian forests were affected by Russian aggression, said Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, at a meeting of the working group on the "Ecological Security" Peace Formula.
The meeting of the group took place on the territory of the botanical garden of the National University of Bioresources and Nature Management of Ukraine, the press service of the President's Office reports.
"About 3 million hectares have been dug up or burned. This is about three-fourths of the territory of Switzerland. Tens of thousands of tons of poisonous substances are released into the air from thousands of fires and millions of explosions. About 33 million tons of carbon dioxide have been released into the atmosphere," Yermak said.
According to him, almost 2,500 cases of environmental damage have already been recorded, and the Prosecutor General's Office is investigating almost 200 cases of environmental war crimes. "The intention behind these crimes, as well as their scale, indicate a systematic policy of destruction. Damage, often irreparable, has been caused to soil, air, forests, and water resources. In some places, entire ecosystems have been destroyed. About 250,000 square kilometers of the territory of Ukraine are contaminated with mines and shells . This is comparable to the territory of Great Britain," he said.
The head of the President's Office emphasized that nature can mercilessly punish all mankind for the inability to stop an aggressor who disregards her laws. "We all have something in common. This is our planet. It unites us despite any worldview differences, skin color, or political system. So the crimes against nature that Russia is committing today in Ukraine are crimes against the entire planet. Against all states and peoples. And not only millions of living creatures in Ukraine suffer from ecocide, but also millions of people all over the world," Yermak added.
The head of the President's Office emphasized the special importance of creating an effective mechanism to overcome the environmental consequences of the Russian invasion. According to Yermak, in this matter, work should be carried out in three key areas: assessment of damage to the environment, in particular, long-term consequences; compensation for damage and prosecution for environmental damage; ecological restoration and transition to a "green" economy.
"These approaches are aimed not only at mitigating the current environmental crisis, but also at laying the foundation for a sustainable and environmentally conscious future," he is convinced.
