A Case Study of the Ukrainian War: How War Impacts the Environment

Jul 15, 2025 | Dakota Mikita
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Conflicts across the world have been a detriment to the environment around them. In Ukraine, natural environments have been devastated by the war, with occupation from Russian troops and fires visible from space as aggravating factors. According to the New York Times, the Ukraine Black Sea Biosphere Reserve—which is home to more than 120,000 birds—has been a victim of the war. In Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this is not the only example of an environment being destroyed by the war, but a profound example of a reality across the conflict zone that the environment will be a long-term victim. One of Ukraine’s largest industries is agriculture, and the war has had a damaging effect on every phase of agricultural production in the country. The war’s damage on the agricultural sector not only has long-term economic implications for Ukraine, but also is an example of the overall environmental destruction that the war has caused.