The “Sviati Hory” (Святі Гори) National Park in the north of the Donetsk region has suffered irreparable damage due to Russian aggression.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources has announced that the war has destroyed almost 80% of the National Park. This was emphasised in the ministry's statement following the minister's visit to the park.
“Sviati Hory”, which is located in the north of the Donetsk region, in the Sloviansk and Lyman districts, covers an area of more than 40,000 hectares, of which approximately 12,000 hectares are designated for the permanent use of the park. The park features chalk hills with numerous relict plants.
“Due to the actions of the Russian occupiers, 80% of the park has been destroyed. In some places, instead of forests, only scorched earth is visible. Great damage has been caused to the park's infrastructure – vehicles, computer equipment and other gear have been destroyed or stolen. About 60-70% of pine plantations have been destroyed – approximately 5,000 hectares of forest,” states the ministry's announcement.
Material losses alone are estimated at 5.5 million hryvnias. Since March 2022, the majority of the park has been in a zone of active hostilities.
According to the latest estimates by the Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the damage caused to the Ukrainian environment by Russian armed aggression exceeds 46 billion dollars. It is understood that Ukraine will demand compensation from Russia for these losses.
Photograph used for the original article
Photograph used for the original article