Briefing on the environmental damage caused by the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (3 December - 16 December, 2024)

On 4 December 2024, on World Wildlife Day, the paper with live grain was planted in the greenhouse of the Hryshko National Botanical Garden in Kyiv, which was used to make the walls of the Ukrainian pavilion at the largest UN Climate Conference COP29.

'The Ukrainian pavilion at COP29 has become a true expression of the idea of joint efforts that sprout into the future. There was no waste left from the pavilion - this is how we demonstrate our conscious attitude and care for the environment. Especially when Russia systematically commits ecocide. It is symbolic that the paper planting took place on World Wildlife Day. The same paper will be planted by our partner countries in support of Ukraine. After all, at the COP, everyone was able to see our commitment to a greener future,' stated Svitlana Grynchuk.

The walls of the pavilion at the summit also told the world that Ukraine is the most mined country in the world, with almost a third of its territory contaminated with explosives. Now, the herbs that helped to tell the world about this will become part of Ukraine's greening and recovery. In the spring, after sprouting in the botanical garden, the plants will be transplanted to the demined areas of the Kyiv region.

On 6 December 2024, at a meeting of the Assembly of the Account's contributing countries organised by the EBRD as the Account Manager, the contributing countries announced support of around €7 million. All funds will be used for the development of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.

This was announced on her Facebook page by Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, head of the Ukrainian delegation.

According to her, this is not the first contribution to the Account. Prior to this, Ukraine has already received more than EUR 26 million from 18 contributing countries. On 5 June, the Law of Ukraine on the Ratification of the Framework Agreement between Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the International Cooperation Account for Chornobyl came into force.

‘The funds of the Account will be used to restore the equipment destroyed and damaged during the Russian occupation, systemic nuclear and radiation safety projects at the Chornobyl NPP, etc. Work on the restoration and development of the Chornobyl Zone is ongoing. Plans for 2025 include signing new grant agreements and implementing joint projects. I am grateful to all partner countries for their unwavering position on Ukraine and your investment in our common future,' said Svitlana Grynchuk.

Also, on 6 December 2024, Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, officially introduced to the team the new Head of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, Grygoriy Ishchenko.

'Grygoriy Ishchenko is a professional with many years of experience in nuclear safety, who has undergone special training at the IAEA. I am confident that he will not only strengthen the work of the Exclusion Zone Management Agency and development of this territory, but also the radiation safety area. Protecting such strategic facilities as the Chornobyl zone is one of the key tasks!' said Svitlana Grynchuk.

Svitlana Grynchuk also emphasised the need to develop renewable energy in the Exclusion Zone, as the territory has all the conditions for the implementation of such projects.

The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is taking place in the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

The theme of this year's COP16 is ‘Our Earth. Our Future’, and the conference in 2024 coincides with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, which gives the meeting a special symbolism.

Ukraine, which is taking an active part in the work of COP16, is using this platform to draw attention to the extraordinary environmental damage caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian delegation is making efforts to convey truthful information about the state of the environment in our country and the consequences of the aggressor's destructive actions.

On 10 December 2024, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Grynchuk met with Ambassador of Spain to Ukraine Ricardo Lopez-Aranda Jagu. They discussed the search for alternative energy sources, in particular with a focus on supporting critical infrastructure.

‘The realities of war dictate the need to develop green energy. Spain has an interesting approach to the development of solar energy, which we are ready to study. We agreed to deepen the dialogue between our experts at the technical level,' said Svitlana Grynchuk.

Svitlana Grynchuk spoke about the environmental impact of the war and the problems with water supply in the frontline regions. This is one of the key areas of the Government's work that requires the support of international partners.

On 11 December 2024, the Sectoral Working Group on Environment, Climate and Green Transition held its first meeting. The group was established to coordinate international technical assistance and is an important step towards strategic planning for Ukraine's green recovery.The event was held at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Kyiv and brought together more than 40 participants, including representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Energy, international organisations, EU and G7 embassies, and other development partners.‘The environmental destruction caused by the war requires coordinated efforts. We have more than 6,700 registered cases of environmental damage, large areas remain mined, and restoration of natural resources is becoming a critical task. The purpose of the Sectoral Working Group is to consolidate the efforts of the government and international partners to use resources efficiently, implement reforms and build an environmentally sustainable future for Ukraine,’ said Olga Yukhymchuk, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration.

Nuclear and radiation safety threats

'On 10 December 2024, a russian FPV drone attacked an IAEA convoy on a road in the Zaporizhzhya region, a region where Russia continues to illegally hold a nuclear power plant it seized, to ensure nuclear safety around the world. The attack targeted one of the convoy's vehicles. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.

This attack clearly demonstrated Russia's attitude to everything related to international law, international institutions and security. The Russians could not have been unaware of their target. They knew exactly what they were doing and acted deliberately,’ - said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russians have also stepped up their military activity at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP - Greenpeace Ukraine.

This is evidenced by new satellite intelligence data used in a report by McKenzie Intelligence Services.

The analysts found near the Zaporizhzhya NPP

• firing positions of Russian multiple launch rocket systems, including Smerch and Uragan
• trenches and fortifications on the territory of the cooling pond.

‘The Russian armed forces continue to militarise Europe's largest nuclear power plant, violating nuclear safety standards by building more than 1,000 metres of trenches and fortifications on the territory of the cooling pond. The firing of heavy multiple launch rocket systems near ZNPP endangers the lives of Ukrainian citizens and communities, and increases nuclear risks. Russia's occupation of ZNPP must end,’ said Sean Burney, Senior Nuclear Officer at Greenpeace.

The draft resolution adopted at an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on 12 December 2024 states:

‘Attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which is critical to the energy supply of nuclear power plants, pose a direct threat to nuclear and radiation safety. Such attacks violate one of the seven principles of nuclear safety defined by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, which requires reliable external energy supply for all nuclear facilities.’

The Resolution also calls on the IAEA to continue assessing the risks and extent of damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including substations that are critical to nuclear power plant operations.

Recent attacks on infrastructure and industry sites

On 6 December 2024, the Russian military attacked the Zaporizhzhya region. A car repair facility was completely destroyed, and shops, high-rise buildings and other infrastructure were damaged.

On 12 December 2024, the enemy severely damagedequipment at DTEK's thermal power plants. The company also noted that this year it was the 12th massive terrorist attack on the Ukrainian energy sector and the 9th massive attack on DTEK's energy companies.

Also, on that day, the Ivano-Frankivsk region sufferedthe most massive attack during the full-scale war. The enemy attacked with UAVs and cruise missiles. There were hits to critical infrastructure facilities.

Pollution caused directly by hostilities

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), from February 24, 2022, to December 16, 2024, a total of 537,011 explosive objects have been neutralized on the territory of Ukraine. An area of 1505 square kilometres has been surveyed.

On 5 December 2024, on World Soil Day, Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, said during the National Marathon:

‘Ukraine is one of the most explosively contaminated countries in the world. Mine explosions, fuel spills, spent ammunition, and chemical weapons lead to soil contamination with heavy metals. Over the past year, thanks to the solidarity of our partners and internal resources, Ukraine has brought almost 35.5 thousand square kilometres of Ukrainian land back into use.’

Each military action is a step towards degradation, soil and environmental pollution, a devastating blow to both natural ecosystems and the agricultural potential of the state.

‘This list of figures is a terrifying proof of the damage the war is causing to Ukraine's land resources. According to the State Environmental Inspectorate, 1.1 million square metres of soil are currently contaminated with hazardous substances, and 21.8 million square metres of land are contaminated with the remains of destroyed facilities and ammunition. The amount of damage caused to land and soil as a result of hostilities is more than UAH 1 trillion,' added Svitlana Grynchuk.

Water resources damage

On 6 December 2024 , a Ukrainian delegation headed by Olena Kramarenko, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, met with representatives of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues related to the consequences of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, which led to the destruction and damage of water infrastructure, pollution of rivers and disruption of surface water intakes that provided water supply to the population of the frontline regions.

'The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine is currently working on developing emergency response plans in the event of such accidents, as well as implementing measures to provide water resources to the population and economic sectors. In order to improve water management, we look forward to productive cooperation and assistance from our international partners in developing an environmental and economic justification for the use of water resources and reimbursement of the cost of water services,’ said Olena Kramarenko.

Black and Azov Seas

On 15 December 2024, in the Kerch Strait, a significant fuel oil leak occurred as a result of the accident of the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers, according to media reports, which poses the threat of a large-scale environmental disaster in the Black Sea.

Preliminary information indicates that the accident was caused by the Russian side's failure to comply with technical requirements for maritime safety, in particular the use of river vessels on the high seas in stormy conditions. This is a consequence of Russia's disregard for international safety standards, which is typical of an aggressor.

According to the Ukrainian Scientific Centre for Marine Environmental Studies, the fuel oil leak will have catastrophic consequences for the marine ecosystem, including the death of plankton, poisoning of fish, seabirds and other living organisms due to the toxic effects of oil products; pollution of bottom sediments and coastal zones, which are the habitat of many species of marine life; disruption of food chains, which will lead to long-term changes in the biodiversity of the region. Some of the affected species may take decades to recover.

This incident highlights the need for stronger international control over compliance with shipping safety standards and pressure on the Russian Federation to prevent future marine pollution. Russia must be forced to compensate for the damage caused.
To assess the damage caused to the marine ecosystem as a result of the tanker accident, on behalf of Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, experts from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Scientific Centre for Marine Environmental Studies and the State Environmental Inspectorate are working on modelling the consequences of the emergency and collecting data on the extent of pollution. They are also preparing appeals to the relevant environmental commissions and conventions.

On 16 December 2024, Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, said during an online meeting with the Minister of Environment, Water and Forestry of Romania, Mircea Fechet, and the Acting Minister of Environment and Water of Bulgaria, Petar Dimitrov, that Russians should be held responsible for the large-scale environmental disaster in the Kerch Strait.

‘According to preliminary estimates by the SEI, the fuel oil leak has caused damage to the Black Sea ecosystem of more than USD 14 billion. It will definitely change after the data of the disaster is clarified,' said Svitlana Grynchuk.

The Ministers of Environment of Romania and Bulgaria shared their information on the consequences of the accident. ‘We are now waiting for better weather conditions to obtain high-quality satellite images necessary for analysing the situation and more detailed modelling.

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What happens to the Ukrainian Nature Reserve Fund during a full-scale war?

‍Forests in general, and the nature reserve fund in particular, are particularly severely affected by Russia's full-scale aggression. According to the latest data, more than 3 million hectares of forest have been damaged or destroyed due to the fighting. This has reduced the greenhouse gas absorption potential of Ukrainian forests by 1.7 million tonnes.We separately calculate the damage caused to nature reserves. Today, we are talking about more than UAH 1.1 trillion in losses. This includes soil contamination and littering of territories and the destruction of trees, plants and wildlife.At the same time, despite the full-scale Russian aggression, the Ukrainian NRF continued to develop in 2024. This year, more than 3000 hectares of new protected areas were created - 50 additional units of local importanceIn addition, this year, Ukrainian national parks received 30% more visitors than last year. And they broke the record for profitability: the protected areas of the Ministry of Environmental Protection received 14% more of their own funds than in 2023. In addition, the amount of international funds received increased by 76%. These achievements contributed to an even greater intensification of activities. The number of eco-educational events increased by 40%, and the number of plans for the reproduction and conservation of rare plant and animal species (under implementation) increased by 26%. The number of visitors increased by 30%, including people with disabilities - by 202%.We also set ambitious plans for the next year: to develop the list and quality of paid services in national parks and reserves, to strengthen cooperation with local communities and international partners, to optimize processes, etc.All this is a real phenomenon for a country at war. And all this is the result of the tireless and selfless work of people who have dedicated themselves to this important cause.

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Source - https://ecozagroza.gov.ua/en/news

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