Russia’s War on Ukrainian Farmers Threatens Global Food Security

Jan 8, 2026 | Oleksandr Tolokonnikov
View Original

Over the past year, Russian attacks on Ukraine’s agricultural sector have escalated alarmingly. According to research conducted by the University of Strasbourg, the University of Maryland, and NASA’s Harvest program, the number of farmland fires identified in Ukrainian-controlled areas of the Kherson region during 2025 rose by 87.5 percent.

Meanwhile, vast quantities of farmland remain inaccessible due to mining or have sustained damage as a result of fires caused by Russian military actions. Ukrainian agricultural workers face a daily threat of drone, artillery, or missile strikes. Some farmers have responded to the danger by taking measures to defend themselves, their land, and their livestock, such as investing in drone monitoring equipment and hiring military veterans.