A roundtable discussion on “Environmental Security and Consequences of the War: Challenges, Threats and Ways to Overcome Them”, announced by the Institute of Global Policy, was held at Ukrinform
Many experts, including former and current military servicemen, responded to the invitation to discuss the events that are extremely important for our country and their consequences. And this is understandable, as the Russian-Ukrainian war continues in Ukraine, affecting all Ukrainian citizens without exception and, in particular, the ecology of Ukrainian lands.
Moreover, the consequences of this war will be felt even after it ends. And not only as a result of what is happening today, but also in previous years, when for a long time we could not cope with the “inheritance” from the USSR, including weapons and ammunition, unused special fuel, utilized equipment, etc.
This was discussed in the opening speech by President of the Institute for Global Politics Oleksandr Bereziuk, speeches by Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor O. Bodnar, and Director of the Center for Strategic Analysis and Environmental Security Yu. Andriychuk, and other politicians, MPs, experts and analysts present in the hall.
Just a few facts out of the many presented by the experts–participants of the roundtable will be enough to understand not just the environmental problem of Ukraine, but the whole disaster that fell on the shoulders of the Ukrainian people. Just to name a few: at least 36 million tons of dangerous waste have been accumulated along the southern banks of the River Dnipro; as a result of the Kakhovka dam being blown up by the Russians, 3 out of the 18 cubic kilometers of water remained in the reservoir; the Azov Sea can now be considered dead, etc.
Quite in-depth was the speech by Head of the Environmental Safety Department of the Main Directorate of Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety Colonel Yu. Sytnyk. In particular, he spoke about land demining, environmental activities of the Ministry of Defense, the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the experience gained by our military professionals in cooperation with NATO representatives. According to estimates, the economic losses for the Ministry of Defense alone amount to $9 billion. And this – without taking into account the equipment, weapons, and everything else that is needed to support the work.
Attention was drawn to the facts about military equipment and weapons that have been stored in the Black Sea Fleet since the last century (and may still be there today), information about modern ecology by Professor Fergad Turanla, who represented the Department of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, ideas put forward by head of the NGO “Association of Intelligence Veterans of Ukraine” Lieutenant General (retired) M. Melnykov, to involve former military specialists in demining, etc.
Other guests of the roundtable took the floor. Among them – President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Local Governments “Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils” S. Chernov, Member of Parliament of Ukraine Ye. Chernev; President of the Ukrainian Center for Dialogue and Communication Sheikh Emad Abu Alrub, Mutasim Mohamed, representative of the February 17 Democratic Group, Libya, Mutasim Mohamed, and others.
The audience had the opportunity to listen to foreigners from Africa and France on ZOOM, who told how other countries, including African ones, are concerned about the environment.
The results of the roundtable will be presented in more detail in a special printed issue to be prepared by the Institute’s experts.
Oleh Makhno
Head of the Press Service of the Institute for Global Politics
Photos by Volodymyr Raievskyi
