Land degradation in Ukraine as a result of military operations

Motives: Ukraine, like many other countries worldwide, faces a serious problem of land degradation as a result of military operations. Military conflicts, such as those that have occurred in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and throughout the entire territory since 2022, have a significant impact on natural ecosystems and land resources, increasing the risk of environmental problems and health threats to the population. It is worth noting that military operations directly damage agricultural land through explosions, gunfire, and heavy machinery, resulting in destruction and pollution. In particular, this affects soil fertility and structure, which are essential for healthy agriculture and farming. In addition, military operations often involve the use of chemicals that can have long-term negative effects on soil quality and water resources. Toxic substances, radiation, and other military remnants can remain active for decades, contaminating natural resources and harming the health of local populations. Restoring land after military action requires significant resources and time. Restoring ecological balance and rehabilitating soil and water ecosystems are complex tasks that require coordinated efforts at the national and international levels. The article highlights the problem of Ukrainian land degradation in active conflict zones, manifested in intensified processes such as wind and water erosion. A proposal for possible land restoration measures was made. Aim: The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the impact of armed conflict on the quality and condition of land resources in the country, and to find possible ways to restore land degraded as a result of military operations. Results: When studying the environmental consequences of military conflicts, the authors of the article focused on analyzing soil contamination, destruction of infrastructure, and degradation of natural landscapes, including forests and agricultural lands. It was found that military actions pose significant environmental risks due to the use of weapons of mass destruction, artillery explosions, and chemical contamination, which can have long-term effects on human health and natural ecosystems. The concentration of titanium in soil samples collected at the rupture site was 150 times higher than the background level. The maximum permissible levels of vanadium, lead, and cadmium in soil were exceeded. At the moment of the explosion, many compounds such as CO, CO2, H2O, NO, N2O, NO2, CH2O, HCN, N2, and a large number of toxic substances are formed. The primary mechanical impact on the soil is compaction, which damages the humus layer and has direct negative consequences, including disruption of the soil’s water balance and triggering of wind and water erosion. Mine clearance activities also have a negative impact on the soil – typically, the humus horizon is destroyed, the physicochemical properties of soil are lost, and changes in its granulometric and aggregate state occur. This, in turn, affects the fertility and water retention capacity of soil. Military actions affect the lithogenic foundation of soil due to the construction of technical structures, the laying of transportation routes, the creation of craters, and the intensive destruction of the surface layer of soil. Forest fires caused by artillery explosions and military equipment destroy hundreds of thousands of hectares of vegetation, valuable plant species, and have a negative impact on wildlife. Surface and groundwater are contaminated as a result of combat activities. An example of an anthropo-technogenic disaster is the blowing up of the Kakhovka reservoir dam by Russian forces. Military actions lead to the deterioration of economic and social living conditions in the country: during the years of the war, 84,979 tons of oil products were burned, and 294,242 tons of harmful substances were released into the atmosphere. Land affected by the adverse effects of military operations can be restored and cleaned through reclamation. The choice of reclamation technology depends on the nature and degree of contamination, the intended use or purpose of the land to be restored, and the availability of effective and economically efficient technologies. It should be noted that the selection of land restoration methods involves a cumulative assessment of the level of damage, which includes determining the category of suitability for land use. The research highlights the need to protect the environment from the effects of war and to implement strategies for the restoration of natural resources after the end of military conflicts. It is emphasized that the demining of agricultural lands is an extremely serious problem that Ukraine cannot solve on its own.