In addition to destroyed cities and disrupted lives, continuous shelling causes serious environmental damage throughout Ukraine. Explosions, fires, bombardments and the destruction of industrial infrastructure results in air and water pollution, the destruction of loved forests and disruption in unique ecosystems.

While fire naturally follows war, one-of-a-kind natural resources like the Kinburn Spit have been among the most environmentally damaged areas. This is accompanied by the release of combustion products into the atmosphere, which poses an especially terrifying threat in places like the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

The burning of oil depots and industrial facilities follows as a grim runner-up. A fire in a large building materials store, for example, causes catastrophic damage to human health due to the burning of toxic synthetic substances such as plastics, paints, and solvents. Tragedies like these would make national news elsewhere in the world, but are much too common for locals in Ukraine.

Air emissions from military equipment are ranked third. Tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and military aircraft built forty years ago lack emission controls, leading to massive pollution.

Air pollution has a compounding effect, and isn’t limited to the front lines. A single release of substances, such as those produced by explosions, does not remain in the air for long and instead accumulates in the soil as precipitation. And then, even after the war, no one can guarantee that neighboring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania will not be affected by polluted precipitation and, as a result, soils.

Unfortunately, environmentalists predict a direct relationship between wartime emissions and decreased life expectancy. This is a global trend: for example, in Iraq [following the 1990-1991 war], the average age of patients in systematic medical care has decreased significantly compared to pre-war levels.

The insidious nature of pollution means that environmental crimes are notoriously difficult to establish in international courts. For example, it will be difficult to demonstrate that the grain harvest has decreased due to hostilities rather than changes in global climatic conditions. And that’s only a drop in the bucket.

But we are confident of victory. The sooner the conflict ends, the sooner the earth beneath us can heal.