Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine has a direct negative impact on the environment in the area of hostilities and the occupied territories. The ecological situation in the affected parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions has already acquired signs of ecological catastrophe.
On the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, we would like to highlight the ecological repercussions of Russia’s aggression in the war zone.
- The dangers to the environment are aggravated by the fact that intensive coal mining is conducted in the territories of Donbas with active hostilities and which are occupied by the Russian hybrid forces.
- The vast majority of mines (around 70 of the total 94) ended up on the territory of the Russian proxy “republics” after the Russian invasion.
- Most of the mines have been closed but to avoid flooding and eventual pollution of groundwater, constant pumping out of mine water must be ensured, which the occupation authorities neglect or it is impossible due to the location of mines in the combat areas.
This is just one of the most serious dangers Russian aggression causes in Donbas, look at our infographic to learn more and check out our materials on the environmental impact of occupation in Crimea: a video and an infographic.
