UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, June 20 —  On the afternoon of June 19, Russian troops shelled the territory of the Staryi Saltiv forestry in the Chuhuiv district, Kharkiv region, reported the State Emergency Service (SES) in the Kharkiv region. 

Kharkiv Oblast comes under massive Russian artillery shelling and airstrikes often, even more so since Russia launched a new ground offensive north and northeast of the region in the Vovchansk and Lyptsi directions in May.

Сoniferous forest caught fire due to the Russian shelling in Chuhuiv district. The fire spread over about seven hectares.

Russian shelling set coniferous forest on fire in Kurylivka community in the Kupiansk district, too. The fire covered the territory of 5,000 m2, damaging a house and an outbuilding. There were no casualties.

Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkiv Oblast Governor, reported that the Russian troops shell forests to set a fire and harm the ecosystem and civilians. The State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine estimates that the Russian military invasion has damaged almost 30% of Ukraine’s forests. 

An analysis of satellite images by NGL.media journalists published on April 8 shows that over the two years of full-scale war, Russians have destroyed more than 60,000 hectares of forests in the occupied territories. The minimum estimate of damages caused by destruction of forests  exceeds $359 million of only direct damages from the loss of timber. 

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