The Ministry of Economy and Environment has highlighted the scale of biodiversity loss caused by hostilities and the occupation of Ukrainian territories
Over 80 animal species in Ukraine are on the brink of extinction due to russia’s full-scale armed aggression. Among those most at risk are large mammals and rare birds. This was reported by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture in response to an inquiry from hromadske.
Hostilities, the occupation of territories, and the destruction of entire ecosystems have created a risk zone for about 600 animal species, as well as 750 plant and fungus species. In particular, the brown bear, European bison, Eurasian lynx, steppe eagle, and black stork are currently at risk of complete extinction in Ukraine.
A separate concern remains the threat to marine mammals. Cases of dolphin deaths continue to be recorded in the occupied territories. The Ministry attributes this to the constant activity of russian military ships entering the sea to shell Ukrainian cities.
“Biodiversity losses continue to rise, as hostilities are still ongoing. It will only be possible to fully assess the damage caused to wildlife after the end of hostilities, the survey and demining of contaminated areas, and the conduct of relevant studies,” the ministry notes.
At the same time, one of the most destructive factors for Ukrainian fauna and flora remains large-scale fires, which occur not only due to russian shelling but also due to human negligence. We previously reported that in the first four months of 2026, over 11,000 fires occurred in Ukraine’s ecosystems, burning down the habitats of wild animals.
Featured image: from the Ciconia-Ukraina project’s camera trap
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