RETURN: Restoring Environments in Ukraine. The impact of military actions on the natural environment in Ukraine

The goal of this study is to review publicly available sources and identify the main directions and trends in analytical, investigative, monitoring, scientific, and other research conducted in Ukraine and abroad on the military impact on the environment. It also aims to highlight possible gaps that require further attention from researchers and policymakers. We have attempted to gather and analyse, or at least review, as many
accessible publications as possible, but we acknowledge that not all relevant sources may have come to our attention.

More Publications
20/02/2026

The ongoing war in Ukraine has significantly disrupted agricultural land use, leading to reduced cropland areas, increased land abandonment, and heightened uncertainty in food production. This study presents a multi-year assessment of war-induced agricultural land use changes in Ukraine using machine learning-based classification applied to Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. By leveraging cloud computing platforms, […]

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28/01/2026

The ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine has significantly impacted the forest ecosystems at national scale, including the crucial agroforestry systems in the eastern part of country. This study focuses on estimating the damage caused to forest protective plantations in 2022–2023, with particular focus on the loss of cropland protection function derived by shelterbelts.

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05/11/2025

Nach Angaben von UNICEF vom 24. Januar 2023 hat der groß angelegte russische Angriffskrieg in der Ukraine die Bildung von mehr als 5 Millionen Kindern beeinträchtigt. Afshan Khan, Regionaldirektor von UNICEF, sagte: „Es gibt keine Pausetaste. Man kann die Bildung nicht einfach auf Eis legen und wieder aufnehmen, wenn andere Prioritäten erfüllt sind, ohne die […]

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14/07/2025

This report is part of the Sida-funded and SEI-implemented Green Agenda project for Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia. The project supports these countries in their journey towards climate neutrality and green transition, aligning with EU integration and Green Deal priorities.

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