As Russian military forces continue their violent, murderous invasion of Ukraine, environmental organizations worldwide are raising additional concerns of the war’s Devastation of the environment that is far-reaching.
Russia’s military activities threaten Ukraine’s environment through air, water and soil pollution. Toxic substances are not only released by munitions, but also from the destruction or construction of infrastructure, including buildings, roads, pipelines and chemical storage areas.
Ukraine’s highly industrialized landscape intensifies the country’s risk of toxic pollution from destruction in and around industrial facilities like fuel storage facilities and hazardous waste storage sites.
The Donbas region of eastern Ukraine knows this impact all too well: That area was the site of fighting after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, and is still suffering toxic contamination from leaking industrial facilities and munitions.
Ukraine is home to Europe’s largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and fighting near the plant has caused fires to break out. Also, Russia’s occupation of Chernobyl, a nuclear site located in Ukraine is deeply concerning.
Russian forces have launched radioactive soil from the ground into the air, increasing radiation levels in the region. Although experts agree that there is no immediate danger to the environment, the risk of nuclear disaster makes this war more dangerous to the environment.
The country’s already deteriorating water infrastructure is further threatened by the war. In addition to Russian forces cutting off water resources vital to civilians for drinking and sanitation, damage to the wastewater infrastructure is causing untreated sewage pollution to water supplies.
The other end of the spectrum is artillery fire, which when combined with dry conditions caused by climate change makes the region vulnerable to wildfires. “There is an urgent need for ecological monitoring to assess and minimize the environmental risks arising from the armed conflict,” says UN Environment Program analyst Leila Urekenova.
The war has a negative impact on climate change talks. Since Russia is one the top three global fossil fuel suppliersSome green groups fear that the climate change agenda will be neglected. Already, the crisis is proving that other countries, including the U.S. need to be less dependent of foreign fuel and fossilfuels in general. According to climate analysts, if there is anything positive that can be gleaned from the war, it will likely be the advancement and investment in renewable energy to ensure energy independence from nations such as Russia.
In its current state, the environmental consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine seem to be endless. The full impact on the environment may not be visible for many generations. As Benjamin Franklin warned, “Wars are not paid for in wartime, the bill comes later.” — LA, GMA News
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