Forests in eastern Ukraine suffer from Russian shelling and mines. In just one week, the enemy destroyed more than 100 hectares.
About this reported Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strelets:
“Constant shelling and mining are turning Ukrainian forests into burnt fields and fields with ravines, where there is no life,” said Ruslan Strelets. “Russian ammunition not only turns trees into coal, but also kills and forces forest dwellers to leave their homes. The fire has already destroyed more than 6.5 thousand hectares of forests of the Lyman forest farm, of which 100 hectares were destroyed only in the last week.”.
In 2022, the Lyman Forest Farm survived half a year of Russian occupation. What is the occupation of the Ukrainian forest?
- Complete destruction of the forestry infrastructure:
- Destruction of the unique ecological trail “Forest Necklace” near Yampol, which attracted tens of thousands of tourists every year. Because of shelling exotic animals (alpacas, ponies, kangaroos, ostriches) that are not adapted to life in the wild ran through the forests;
- The destruction by the occupiers of 80% of the National Park “Holy Mountains” – pearls of the Ukrainian environment, which includes a part of the Lyman forest farm.
“It is not easy to put out forest fires and save animals due to landmines and continued hostilities,” noted Ruslan Strelets. “However, the enterprise has already resumed its work where possible. Last year, the first 9,000 coniferous seedlings were planted on the site of the burned forest. This year, there are plans to restore the forests of the Lyman Region on an area of 100 hectares. Thank you to the foresters for your work in the most difficult times for the state. This is an example self-sacrifice and resistance to the aggressor for the entire Ukrainian people“.
According to him, Ukraine is the first country in the world to collect evidence of ecocide as a result of hostilities. Clause 8 of Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s Peace Formula “Environmental security” is the way to hold Russian terrorists accountable for ecocide and prevent such crimes in the future.
