The ecological situation in the Donbass is very dangerous and requires an immediate response from both the Ukrainian authorities and the international community. This is reported by the vice-speaker, the representative of Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Tripartite Contact Group in Minsk Iryna Herashchenko on her Facebook, following a meeting in the government devoted to the environmental problems in the Donbass, technogenic and environmental risks caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.
"We must increase the world's attention to environmental challenges and problems, demand access of international experts to all enterprises that have dangerous production in the temporarily occupied territories, and which are captured today by occupants and militants", - she wrote.
According to Herashchenko, the flooded mines in the occupied territories, where the water level has almost reached a critical maximum, cause particular alarm. She stressed that the international partners of Ukraine by the "Normandy format" are ready to assist in the examination of the environmental situation in mines, carrying out pumping and recovery works, delegating experts to the scene.
"But the other party does not give access to experts - and this can result in a very serious environmental disaster. The ecological situation in the Donbass is extremely dangerous and requires an immediate response from both the local and central executive branch authorities of Ukraine and the world", - I.Herashchenko noted.
Furthermore, she stressed that there is a very difficult situation with the enterprises near the contact line where the production cycle is disrupted because of constant shelling. According to her, Ukrainian party has repeatedly raised the issue of ceasefire for carrying out repair and restoration works for the enterprises located near the line of demarcation at the negotiations in Minsk, but the Russian Federation and SDDLO do not provide guarantees and do not give an opportunity to carry out these works normally.
"There is much tension around the issue of Toretsky Phenolic Plant, Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, other strategic and infrastructure facilities. It is very important to improve the monitoring of the environmental situation in the Donbass, urgently specify the lists of all enterprises in the occupied territories, that require attention and immediate access of international experts", - I.Herashchenko noted.
According to her, the situation at the Donetsk Filter Station where liquid chlorine is kept is also difficult.
"In the case of damage to these containers, an environmental disaster threatens the entire region, and the DFS is meanwhile being daily shelled. Therefore, the key issue is security, monitoring by the representatives of the OSCE SMM of ceasefire near infrastructural and environmentally hazardous facilities. We prepare an impact assessment of flooded and submerged mines. And the occupants will certainly be brought to account for this. For each destroyed Ukrainian enterprise", - I.Herashchenko summarized.