UKRAINE, Feb 15 — Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia’s attacks caused 2.2 trillion hryvnias [about $69.3 billion — ed.] in damage to Ukraine’s environment, Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets said during the “United News” marathon.

In total, there are more than 3,800 cases of environmental damage in Ukraine. Experts recorded each of these cases, but the damage continues to grow.

“Every citizen can see the latest figures on our official app and web resource “EcoZagroza” [ EcoThreat — is an official resource of the Ministry of Ecology for automatic collection and recording of information on environmental threats in real-time, with geographical reference to the area — ed.] There is detailed information there, and again, I urge everyone who sees any cases, not only cases related to armed aggression, to report them through our app and thus join the ‘battalion’ of environmentalists,” said Environment Minister Ruslan Strilets.

Oil slick in the river in the centre of Kharkiv / Photo: Ivan Samoilov for Gwara Media

The latest case of damage to Ukraine’s environment in the Kharkiv Oblast is the leak of oil products into waters caused by the Russian shelling of oil depots by the Shahed drones on February 9, 2024. More than 3,000 tons of oil leaked into the rivers of Kharkiv Oblast — the Udy, Lopan, Nemyshlya, and Kharkiv — and the Siverskyi Donets downstream.

There is information that this environmental catastrophe caused 30 million hryvnias in damage. Still, the Ministry of Environment added that specialists will conduct specific tests and collect additional samples to reach a final conclusion [on damages — ed.]

Ukraine is working to bring to justice those responsible for environmental crimes committed during the war. Already, 12 countries have joined the Environmental Declaration, and more than 30 others have declared their readiness to join.