The preliminary amount of damage inflicted on the nature reserve fund of the Donetsk oblast as a result of the full-scale russian aggression has exceeded UAH 2.5 trillion. This was reported by the State Environmental Inspectorate in the Donetsk Oblast.
According to the agency, the hostilities have affected national nature parks, regional landscape parks, nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and protected natural tracts.
The main cause of the destruction of natural ecosystems is identified as large-scale forest fires caused by russian shelling.
Despite the security risks, specialists have already surveyed several protected areas, including the Kleban-Byk Regional Landscape Park, the Sloviansk Resort Regional Landscape Park, the Chalk Flora Branch of the Ukrainian Steppe Nature Reserve of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the Sviati Hory National Nature Park.
According to the results of the calculations, the preliminary amount of damage exceeded UAH 2.5 trillion.
The State Environmental Inspectorate noted that the damage assessment is ongoing. At present, the work is being carried out only in areas where access is considered relatively safe. The final amount of damage will be determined after all affected protected natural areas have been surveyed.