Integrated bioremediation and reclamation strategies for militarily damaged agricultural soils

The full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has led to a widespread degradation of agricultural soils, involving complex physical, chemical, and biological disturbances. Extensive contamination with heavy metals, petroleum products, and explosives, along with the decline of soil microbial activity, has significantly reduced the productive capacity of the agroecosystems and created long-term environmental risks. This review presents a systematized analysis of current approaches to integrated bioremediation and agroecological reclamation of war-affected soils. Particular attention is paid to bioengineering solutions, including phytoremediation, microbial consortia, organic soil amendments, and adaptive agrotechnical strategies. Drawing on successful experiences from post-conflict regions such as Vietnam, Iraq, and the Balkans, the review highlights opportunities for adapting these strategies to the specific conditions of the Ukrainian Steppe, where high humus content intersects with increasing anthropogenic pressure. The authors emphasize the need to develop a national strategy for restoring degraded agricultural land, incorporating interdisciplinary monitoring tools, GIS technologies, legislative frameworks, and sustainable financing mechanisms. The review also outlines key research priorities, including the improvement of bioproducts, risk mapping, evaluation of phytoremediation crops, and long-term monitoring of soil biocoenosis under post-war landscape transformation.