Ukraine will seek compensation for environmental damage caused by Russia’s invasion, Kyiv says
The Ukrainian government will seek compensation from Russia for the environmental destruction it has caused through its invasion of Ukraine, the country’s environment minister has said.
Ukraine will pursue Russia through international courts in its efforts to claim compensation for the huge damage to Ukraine’s environment caused by missile strikes on oil refineries and fighting near Chernobyl, Ukrainian environment minister Ruslan Strilets said.
“Russian missiles hit our oil depots, thermal power plants, chemical plants – this definitely affects the environment,” Strilets said. “Forests are burning, valuable protected things are being destroyed.”
“There are areas such as wetlands that are being destroyed as the occupier’s equipment goes over them. These are ecosystems that have been forming for hundreds of years and we are really losing them,” the environment minister added.
The Kyiv official said fighting in the Chernobyl exclusion zone had cause at least 2.5-billion-hryvnia (£67m) worth of damage alone, as he said Ukraine will seek compensation for all damages caused by Russia’s invasion through international courts.