$64bn in losses: how Russia has damaged the Ukrainian environment
2 October 2024 21:45
russia has committed more than 4,700 environmental crimes in Ukraine, causing our country losses of $64 billion. This was was stated bydmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, during a speech at the International Baku Forum of Ombudsmen on Climate Change and Human Rights in Azerbaijan, reports [Kommersant].
In particular, the use of mines by the Russian military has led to soil, water, and air pollution and damaged Ukraine’s nature reserve fund.
Lubinets stressed that as a result of Russia’s armed aggression, Ukraine has become the most mined country in the world. According to the UN, this endangers the lives and health of more than 6 million people.
Since 24 February 2022 alone, 309 people have been killed by mines and explosives. And about 142,000 km² of Ukraine’s territory are considered potentially mined. For comparison, after the war in Croatia, 13,000 km² were considered potentially mined.
The Ukrainian Ombudsman stressed that 2,149 mine action operators are currently involved in mine clearance. The biggest need for Ukraine is to provide specialists with the proper equipment and facilities.
“The issue of protecting the right to a safe environment is subject to my parliamentary control. I present my recommendations to the authorities in my annual reports. The longer the occupiers remain in Ukraine, the faster the climate of the entire planet will change, as wars cause irreparable damage to the environment,” Dmytro Lubinets concluded.
