"The environmental damage caused to Ukraine by Russia's invasion has exceeded $60 billion, and this figure continues to rise," said Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection, at a briefing.
"To date, we have recorded over 5,500 such cases of environmental crimes committed by the enemy. The total damages have already surpassed $60 billion, and unfortunately, this figure is only increasing," Strilets said.
He emphasized that the effects of these ecological crimes extend to other countries, including Moldova and Romania. Strilets recalled the case of a large fire at a port in Odessa, which caused smoke pollution in Moldova.
"This is a transboundary impact, and it carries a different kind of responsibility. When calculating these damages, I believe that not only Ukraine will have the right to compensation for armed aggression in the future," the minister noted.
In June, it was reported that preliminary estimates indicated that the damage to the environment from the explosion of the Kakhovka Dam on June 6, 2023, amounted to 78 billion UAH, but a complete assessment will be possible only after the de-occupation of southern Ukraine.
