A third of Ukrainian forests have suffered from Russian aggression, head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said at a meeting of the working group on Peace Formula “Environmental Safety."

The meeting, which took place on the territory of the botanical garden of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, concerned the point of the Peace Formula Ecological safety, the presidential press service reported.

"About 3 million hectares have been dug up or burned. This is about three fourths of the territory of Switzerland. Tens of thousands of tonnes of toxic substances enter the air from thousands of fires and millions of explosions. About 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were released into the atmosphere," Yermak said.

According to him, almost 2,500 cases of environmental damage have already been recorded, and the Prosecutor General's Office is investigating almost 200 cases of environmental war crimes. "The intent behind these crimes, and their scale, points to a systematic policy of extermination. Damage, often irreparable, was caused to soil, air, forests, and water resources. In some places, entire ecosystems have been destroyed. About 250,000 square kilometers of Ukraine's territory are contaminated by mines and shells. This is comparable to the territory of Great Britain," he said.

The head of the President's Office said that nature can mercilessly punish all mankind for the inability to stop an aggressor who disregards her laws. "We all have something in common. This is our planet. It unites us despite any ideological differences, skin color or political system. Therefore, the crimes against nature that Russia is committing today in Ukraine are crimes against the entire planet. Against all states and nations. And not only millions of living creatures in Ukraine suffer from ecocide, but also millions of people all over the world suffer," Yermak added.

The head of the Office of the President noted the special importance of creating an effective mechanism to overcome the environmental consequences of the Russian invasion. According to Yermak, in this matter it is worth working in three key directions: assessment of environmental damage, including long-term consequences, compensation for damages and prosecution for environmental damage; ecological recovery and transition to a “green” economy.

"These approaches are aimed not only at mitigating the current environmental crisis, but also at laying the foundation for a sustainable and environmentally conscious future," he is convinced.