6 November marked the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. This date was established by the UN General Assembly back in 2001.

According to UN data, Ukraine is currently the most heavily mined country in the world. The war started by Russia against Ukraine poses daily threats to the environmental safety of thousands of people.

Mined territories, destroyed forests, poisoned water resources, a polluted atmosphere – ecocide – is the result of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In total, the fighting has affected to a greater or lesser extent, and directly impacted, almost 30% of Ukraine's forests.

In the forest fund territories managed by the State Forest Resources Agency, 369 forest stands covering 1.8 million hectares have been damaged as a result of Russia's armed aggression (through occupation and active fighting) since the start of the full-scale invasion;
– 180 forest districts covering 813.9 thousand hectares are still occupied;
– 10 forestry units covering 104.7 thousand hectares have been affected by the fighting (excluding the temporarily occupied forestry units);
- 449.4 thousand hectares of forest are still mined;
- Russian shelling has caused 1548 forest fires covering 33.9 thousand hectares.

In the occupied and de-occupied territories, heavy military equipment moves through the forests, military units are stationed in them and active fighting takes place. This causes critical disruption to forest ecosystems, as well as soil and water pollution. Damage done to the environment during armed conflict causes the condition of ecosystems and natural resources to deteriorate for a long time after the conflict ends, and often affects more than one country and more than one generation.

This is another opportunity to call on the international community to join forces to protect nature in wartime. Environmental protection must be as important as peace and security.