Ukraine documents over 7,000 Russian environmental crimes amid ongoing war

Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration Olha Yukhymchuk said this at a meeting with representatives of the Italian Foreign Ministry.

According to her, this includes land and soil contamination, damage to nature reserves and protected ecosystems, air, water and sea pollution, and the impact of the war on climate change. 

The deputy minister noted that the data on environmental damage will become the basis for further green recovery of Ukraine. 

“The Ministry of Environment is currently working on a framework law “On the Basics of Green Recovery” that will define key principles and approaches to sustainable recovery of the country and take into account European standards,” Yukhymchuk added. 

• During a working visit to Azerbaijan, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets stated at the International Baku Forum of Ombudsmen on Climate Change and Human Rights that Russia has caused $64 billion in damage to Ukraine's environment.