The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources estimated Ukraine's environmental damage from the war at over €108 billion

Over 9,000 cases of environmental damage, €108 billion in losses, and mined territories — the war is dealing a devastating blow to Ukraine's environment. Learn more about the scale of environmental losses, green recovery initiatives, and how Ukraine is laying the foundation for the future

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Russia's war against Ukraine is not only destroying infrastructure and taking lives — it is causing a deep and lasting environmental disaster.

This was once again emphasized at the URC-2025 International Conference on Ukraine's Recovery, which recently concluded in Rome — the city where the treaties establishing the European Union were signed in 1957 and where the future of Ukraine for decades to come is now being considered.

9,000 cases of environmental damage: the consequences of Russia's military aggression

During a thematic panel on environmental restoration, Minister of Environmental Protection Svitlana Grynychuk reported that more than 9,000 cases of environmental damage caused by the war have already been recorded. Among the most resonant are:

- The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant;

- Poisoning of the Seim River;

- Strikes on facilities at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, including the new safe confinement.

“These cases shocked the world. But they are only the tip of the iceberg,” the minister said.

Currently, about 23% of Ukraine's territory is mined. Damage to hydraulic infrastructure is estimated at a minimum of $746 million, and restoration needs are estimated at nearly $11 billion.

The situation in the field of subsoil use is no less dramatic: €10.6 trillion in losses — and this is not the final figure. About 50% of critically important mineral resources are currently located in temporarily occupied territories.

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Recovery — now, not after the war

“The scale of this terror makes environmental protection not just a question of quality of life,” emphasized Svitlana Hrynchuk. "It is a question of security for the entire continent. Therefore, recovery must begin today.“

Key initiatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources:

1. The draft law ”On Green Recovery“ introduces the principles of ‘green’ taxonomy to attract sustainable investment and introduce new financial instruments such as ”green" bonds.

2. The Green Recovery platform, launched at the URC in Berlin, has grown from €5 million to €20 million thanks to the support of international partners.

3. Forest demining is actively ongoing: almost 100,000 hectares have already been surveyed. In the Holy Mountains National Park, where the war destroyed 80% of the forest, pine trees are already being planted using new technology, and 100 km of forest roads have been demined.

4. Animal rehabilitation centers being built in liberated regions not only help preserve biodiversity but also play a social role by supporting veterans and affected civilians.

A new approach to ecology is part of the new Ukraine

“The formula for ‘green’ recovery permeates our entire economic agenda. A new world order is emerging on the path to peace, just as new principles of interaction with the environment are emerging in the fight against the consequences of war,” said Hrynchuk.

Ukraine calls on international partners, environmental organizations, investors, and governments to join the restoration efforts. Anyone who wants to can be part of shaping not only Ukraine's but also Europe's environmental future.

Ukraine's green course is not just about trees and water. It is about sustainability, security, and a new ethic for humanity. And Ukraine is already creating this new approach together with its partners.

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Reminder! Ukrainians continue to live in wartime conditions, tired but united. People have not lost faith in the country's key institutions, and although stress has become part of everyday life, hope has not disappeared — it has changed. Find out how many Ukrainians continue to believe in victory and how they feel about other equally important issues.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

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