Wildlife destroyed: The overlooked ‘ecocide’ of the war in Ukraine

WHENEVER a war breaks out the attention of the world would swing towards the human casualties in the tragedy.

During a special documentary screening on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which enters its third year today, the attention was on the impact of the destructive and bloody conflict on the wildlife and environment.

Ukraine’s honorary consul in Penang, Datuk Seri Chuah Kim Seah, held a photo exhibition with the screening to highlight the ill effects of the war on animals, plants and the ecology.

It is not genocide but "ecocide", said the narrator in the documentary produced by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

The invasion of Ukraine began exactly three years ago on the morning of February 24, 2022, when Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" before Russia launched missiles and airstrikes on its southern neighbour.

Since the war broke out between two countries of the former Soviet Union bloc, there has been destruction to the ecology as chemicals from weapons contaminate the soil while millions of animals have also been injured or killed.

Chua described this as "most tragic", adding that he is praying daily that the conflict can end so that both sides can go back to living peacefully side by side.

He used the occasion to showcase photographs that depict the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

It was reported in September last year that Ukraine is working to introduce "ecocide" as a new category of international crime and put the Kremlin on trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. A working group was appointed to build support for the country's strategy.

A key focus was the Kakhovka dam, a major hydroelectric reservoir, that was blown up by the Russians in a series of blasts in June, leading to extensive flooding and environmental damage, reported Euronews.

"All the substances that were on the surface were carried further downstream by the water's flow which spread it to the soil. In the future, all these pollutants that settled on the ground will be absorbed by the soil, and domestic animals,” Ukrainian prosecutor Vladislav Ignatenko, who is leading a team of biological investigators, was quoted as saying.

Dozens of people were killed as entire villages were submerged by the flood water, which the United Nations said caused destruction costing billions of Euros.

The impact could be seen even 300 kilometres from the dam with living organisms and ecosystems negatively affected.

Meanwhile, former Penang State Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Datuk Amar Pritpal Abdullah spoke about how Malaysia should heed the lessons of war and avoid it at all costs, as its destruction can last for generations.

Amar said that Ukraine was a beautiful pastoral country, with significant advances in farming but now stretches of its land have become barren.

The situation has also impacted on the global economy and markets, he said.

He stressed that Malaysia does not take sides in any conflict.

However, like many other countries, there is hope that peace can be restored, with the same also applying to the conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Hamas militant group. – The Vibes, February 24, 2024