Ukraine war-soils in Ukraine: “A rather invisible victim”

Wars destroy cities and people’s habitats. It is less well known that they also destroy entire ecosystems and the floors.

Yes, wars destroy human life and the environment. The soil is more of an invisible victim. The consequences are all the more serious. Ukraine was not by chance among the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products. It has incredibly fertile soils. These Chernoseme or black gods contain large amounts of nutrients. For me, the soil is an object of scientific research, but for us Ukrainians it is part of our national identity. That is why it is also part of the war strategy to destroy the soil as a habitat and identity -creating characteristic.

You dealt with the floors in Ukraine before Russia was already in the full invasion. What have you examined?

I started my soil research when the southeastern regions, especially the Donbas, were first occupied by Russia. Back then I was still on Semenenko Institute for Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Arch formation in Kyiv. At the time, our research team documented considerable soil damage through military activities. However, there were problems before the war. The intensive agriculture, urbanization and industrialization led to land, compression and pollutant enrichment. And then there was the Chernobyl disaster. They were radioactive through them by about five percent of the country area. The Donbas is the most industrialized region. That is why the war mainly causes pollutant emissions. Depending on whether it is a city or agricultural landscape such as Kharkiw or Mykolajiw, the soil destruction differ. Regardless of this, I particularly care how heavy metals and other toxic substances accumulate in the soil and what happens to them.

Interview

Heiko Jacobs/TU Braunschweig

Dr. Anastasiia splodytel is a research assistant at the Technical University of Braunschweig and examines the consequences of war destruction in Ukraine. The results are intended to help remove environmental damage after the war.

How Does the war affect the floors?

In Ukraine, almost the entire arsenal of military equipment, weapons and ammunition is used. This leads to two types of soil destruction: mechanical and chemical. Mechanical because mines, granades, high -explosives, armor -piercing and cumulative floors – they have a particularly strong explosion effect – create pressure waves. There are deep craters and ground lamps. Tanks and trenches also cause soil damage. Combustion and detonation create many toxic and harmful “by -products”. These chemical substances contaminate the floors, the ground and surface water. And then there is indirect destruction. When the Kachowka dam was blown up, the lake flooded a huge area underneath. Our research shows that the floors there have ten times higher pollutant concentrations than is permitted. Nevertheless, people live there. I am sure that you continue to use the country for agriculture. What this means for you is obvious.

Can such destroyed soils be restored?

This is possible. But the problem is that this is very lengthy and complex. Depending on the type of destruction and contamination, there are physical, chemical and biological renovation methods. Sometimes it also makes sense to leave the soil to themselves. They may no longer be managed with a protection status. Ukraine has already gained experience after the Chernobyl disaster. However, renovations do not mean that the floors become the way they were. Some will no longer have valuable layers of humus for the next generations, maybe even in the next 100 or 1000 years. In the future it will be more about minimizing the damage and finding new uses for these areas. The mines -infested areas must at least be secure again. That alone will take decades. Ukraine is now one of the world’s most contaminated with mines.

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Whe goes local population With the soil destruction around?

So far there are no systematic studies on the scope of the destruction or comprehensive ecological and geochemical reviews. As long as the war lasts, this will not be possible. What we know so far comes from studies that we have carried out at our own risk. Structures are also missing to inform the population about environmental risks. But regardless of whether people know the danger contaminated or not, they have to manage the areas – to survive. For some, this is fatal because of the mines in the field. There is no relying on external help. So what should they do? At least it would be helpful to inform people about the lurking dangers.

What does the strength give you to continue despite the continuing war?

When I started my research in the Chernobyl’s restricted zone at the time, I realized how paradoxical the consequences of such disasters could be. A huge, man -made disaster devastated hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of land. Nowadays there is a huge biosphere reserve, nature is gradually getting back the areas. This place is not only a symbol of destruction, but also shows the power of nature. As in Chernobyl, the currently destroyed regions with the contaminated floors may arise new protected areas and buffer zones. I hope that and I wish for.