User:AwaltonUW/Environmental impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Disruption of the Chernobyl exclusion zone

Reactor 4 encased in the sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the disruption of the Chernobyl exclusion zone for the first time.  During the invasion, the Russian military attempted and succeeded for a time to wrestle control of the nuclear power plant, from its Ukrainian defenders. During this operation, fighting over the power plant resulted in a loss of electricity and communication with the workers, causing concern as to whether or not the workers were able to maintain essential radiation monitoring systems. In recent times the radiation levels of the exclusion zone have fallen dramatically, even to a point that some residents are able to move back in .

Environmental concerns

When the Russian army began entering the exclusion zone radiation levels spiked, mostly likely due to the presence of infantry and military vehicles that have disturbed the soil and dust . The upturned soil increases the risk of nuclear waste entering local waterways and ecosystems, which in turn increases the chance of tumuor growth and genetic mutations in humans and wildlife who ingest or come into contact with contaminated water and plant life .

Map of the Donbas region of Ukraine, showing Russian separatist-controlled territory from the conclusion of the Battle of Debaltseve in 2015 to the outbreak of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the fighting, a fire started at the power plant. The fire itself did not occur on one of the plant’s six reactors, but rather at an inconsequential spot that caused no significant damage, resulting in the fire being quickly extinguished once the fighting stopped. If a reactor did catch on fire, it poses a significant risk to the local environment. When nuclear waste combusts, it doesn’t reduce the level of radiation but instead creates radioactive dust that is easily spread by winds and water. Combined with the Ukrainian government’s drastically reduced ability to deal with environmental crises due to the Russian invasion, a fire at a reactor would pose a significant threat to the local environment.

Environmental Pollution

The Donbas region of Ukraine has seen significant action even before the 2022 invasion, with Russian-backed separatist groups active in the region since 2014. The escalation of conflict in the region has led to these separatist states declare the creation of pro-Russian states and the separation of the Ukrainian government. This poses a significant threat to the environmental stability of the region and Ukraine as a whole as this region is known to be a significant source of coal and is home to the majority of Ukraine’s heavy industry. The conflict and lack of governmental regulation in the region has created concern as to the stability and level of environmental oversight of mines and processing plants in the region. This is especially true with the mines in the region. With a reportedly 70 out of 94 mines in Donbas under separatist control, it's impossible to know if they are being maintained at proper standards. These mines pose a significant risk to the surface and ground water in the region, especially as water in Donbas region drains into the local Siverskyi-Donest river, one of the largest in Ukraine.

Plants in the region known to produce steel, chemicals and even weapons are a significant threat to the environment. During peacetimes the environmental hazards these plants create are manageable and don’t pose a threat to the environment, but due to the conflict any operation of these facilities could result in the improper disposal of waste and by-products.

Beyond the operation of these facilities, the facilities themselves pose a significant threat to the region as they are often targets for Russian shelling and bombing runs. If these facilities are destroyed the hazardous materials used in the processes risk leaking into the local environment and contaminating vital environmentally components like groundwater.