Over 9,000 cases of environmental damage have been recorded in Ukraine, with total losses exceeding 108 billion euros
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression, Ukraine has suffered not only colossal human and economic losses, but also irreversible environmental damage. Today, the damage caused to the environment as a result of hostilities is estimated at an amount that has already reached 108 billion euros. This figure is the result of official recording of more than 9,000 episodes of destruction of the natural environment throughout the country. About this on July 12, 2025 reported Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Grynchuk speaking at the International Conference on the Restoration of Ukraine URC-2025.
According to her, the situation with environmental safety remains critical. One of the most acute challenges is large-scale mining. Currently, approximately 23% of the territory of Ukraine remains dangerous due to the presence of explosive objects. This is not only a threat to people’s lives and health, but also a significant limitation for farming, ecological monitoring, access to forests, water bodies and nature conservation areas.
A separate block presents data on the destruction of hydrotechnical infrastructure. These include, in particular, damaged dams, dams, reservoirs, treatment plants and other facilities that play a critical role in ensuring water security for the population and the economy. According to Svitlana Grynchuk, only direct losses in this industry amount to at least 746 million US dollars. But if we talk about the complete restoration of the entire infrastructure, then we are talking about an amount approaching 11 billion dollars.
Another painful aspect was the sphere of subsoil use. According to official estimates, the damage caused to the geological environment, mineral deposits and the functioning of the relevant enterprises reached an astronomical mark of 10.6 trillion euros. This figure includes both direct and indirect losses related to loss of access to resources, stoppage of production, destruction or damage to equipment, and long-term consequences for the ecological stability of regions.
The minister also drew attention to a strategically dangerous trend: about half of all the most important mineral resources, which are of critical importance for the Ukrainian economy, are currently located in the occupied territories. This significantly complicates the planning of not only recovery after the end of hostilities, but also the creation of a long-term model of a sustainable economy in conditions of war.
