One of the major casualties of the war between Ukraine and Russia is the physical area of conflict itself. Experts say Ukraine is experiencing an "ecocide" – essentially the destruction of the environment by humans – and the country is looking to take legal action against Russia for it.
The war in Ukraine "may end, but damage from artillery shells, mines, drones and missiles will endure for decades, experts say, degrading industries like farming and mining, introducing health risks and eroding natural beauty", according to The New York Times. "The extent of contamination and damage can only be estimated in many areas as it is extremely difficult to collect data," Oleksii Vasyliuk, the head of the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group, told Deutsche Welle (DW). Many have deemed the destruction an ecocide, claiming the damage is deliberate. The environmental harm takes many forms, from increasing the level of emissions to destroying the soil and, by proxy, agriculture.
Whether or not Russia continues to contribute to the ecocide remains to be seen, especially as it cosies up to the new Trump administration. "Ukraine wants environmental protections included in any peace agreement, but the Trump administration's friendlier ties with Moscow leave Kyiv little leverage," said the Times. "The environment should no longer remain a silent victim of war," Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine's Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, told DW. "Humanity must understand that war is expensive. Every state must understand that war is expensive. Destroying the environment is expensive." | 
