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Review
. 2025 Feb;32(10):5685-5702.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-025-36098-9. Epub 2025 Feb 18.

Russia-Ukraine war impacts on environment: warfare chemical pollution and recovery prospects

Kseniia Yutilova  1 , Elena Shved  2 , Georgiy Rozantsev  2 , Andrzej Adamski  3
Affiliations
Review

Russia-Ukraine war impacts on environment: warfare chemical pollution and recovery prospects

Kseniia Yutilova et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2025 Feb.

Abstract

As it is commonly known, the full-scale conflict between Russia and Ukraine started on February 24th, 2022. It has not only caused various geopolitical, strategic, and humanitarian challenges, shortages of basic goods, and infrastructural disruptions but also had significant consequences for the natural environment of the Ukrainian territory. This review article contains the comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted environmental challenges arising from the ongoing war, examining the instant and long-term impacts on air and water quality, soil health, biodiversity, and discusses possible measures on remediation of affected areas. The consequences of contamination of natural resources through military activities, the disruption of critical ecosystems, and the subsequent threats for human health in living and future generations, are described in this review. Through an in-depth analysis of scientific literature, governmental reports, and various international assessments, this review aims to emphasize the impact of the armed conflict in Ukraine on environmental degradation and its selected consequences.

Keywords: Chemical pollutants; Explosives; Military environmental risks; Russia–Ukraine war; Warfare pollution.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: All authors approved this for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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