The Ministry of Environmental Protection Assessed the Environmental Damage from Russia's Aggression.

The damage inflicted by Russia on Ukraine during the war amounts to over 2.6 trillion hryvnias. The greatest harm to nature is caused by missiles, which pollute the soil and water.

Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Olena Kramarenko spoke about this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

The amount of environmental damage exceeds 2.6 trillion hryvnias, and this is only an approximate sum, as data collection is not yet complete. Part of Ukraine's territories is occupied, and some are mined, and access to them will only be possible after de-occupation and demining.

More than 6,000 facts of environmental damage have been recorded as a result of Russian aggression, with a total amount in the trillions of hryvnias. These include over 1 trillion hryvnias for soil pollution, 780 billion hryvnias for air pollution from combustion products, and 84 billion hryvnias for water pollution. In addition, more than 649 billion hryvnias constitute damage to natural reserves.

"According to the latest research by international and national experts, greenhouse gas emissions over two years of war amounted to about 180 million tons of CO2. The damage caused by Russia to the climate during 24 months of war is estimated at 32 billion USD," noted Kramarenko.

The greatest harm to nature and people is caused by missiles. Missile fuel pollutes the soil and water, causing chemical pollution of the environment. They also destroy the fertile layer of soil. In the future, such destroyed soils will be unusable for agricultural purposes.

"Substances may enter groundwater, polluting wells, boreholes, and rivers. I believe that we and our environment will feel the impact of these substances for a long Time," said Kramarenko.