Illegal wildlife trade is one of the most powerful criminal businesses in the world. According to Interpol, its annual turnover ranges from $7 billion to $23 billion. These figures are surpassed only by human trafficking, drug trade, and arms dealing.

Black water. Shores covered in dead fish, crayfish, and snails. The unbearable stench. These are the consequences of pollution that came from russia and poisoned the Seym and Desna rivers in August. Local communities are still assessing the consequences, but they are already bracing for further contamination. This report from the scene reveals that russia commits environmental crimes not only through warfare.

russia's war against Ukraine is destroying life and dividing families on both land and sea. This includes both people and animals. As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we explore the impact of the war on marine mammals.

Once known as the Grand Meadow, the ancient Ukrainian steppe, the area has become the bed of the Kakhovka Reservoir by Soviet engineers who built a dam. The recent act of ecocide by the Russians, who blew up the dam, has been studied under the #StopEcocideUkraine project to understand how nature is recovering.