The marbled polecat is a rare animal found in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas of Ukraine, as well as the Azov steppes. In the area that is currently occupied by russia, it was formerly protected. Scientists thought there were just 100 marbled polecats in all of Ukraine, but in recent years, reports of the animal have increased. We talked to one of the people who witnessed it to find out what is so special about the marbled polecat.

Since 2014, Ukrainian servicewoman and poet Olena Bilozerska has been rescuing animals on the front line. She shares stories about the animals she rescued, including a puppy she exchanged for grenades and a kitten nearly snatched by US troops during training.

In Ukraine, search and rescue dogs have a lot of work to do. Residential buildings become frequent targets of russian shelling, and rescuers use dogs to look for survivors beneath the debris. What possible dangers might the State Emergency Service of Ukraine's rescue dogs encounter? And can they be replaced by any technologies? We asked people who deal with search and rescue dogs and others who know a lot about the health and behavior of these animals.

To find the only remaining school within the entire frontline area of the Zaporizhzhia region and to repurpose its gymnasium into an emergency room, an operating area and a post-operative room. This is what saving lives looks like just 10 kilometers from the front line—an area with no veterinary clinics, yet home to injured, sick, and abandoned animals. The UAnimals team arrived there to offer assistance, and now we are sharing the most powerful moments from this mission.

These people have spent years rescuing animals from the war and cruelty. However, they’ve also witnessed compassion and care on this path. What attitude towards the animals have they seen? We invite you to reflect on this while reading the stories from animal volunteers.

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, Natalka Sokolova, founder of the Accessible Sterilization project, and her colleagues have been living practically out of suitcases. They work on trips to frontline territories and the Kyiv region. In this interview, Natalka shares her experiences and the achievements of her initiative.

Risk your life to escape occupation or hide in a basement? Complicate your journey by bringing your animals or betray them by leaving them behind? This article is about choices — and about love and responsibility.

For nearly a year, Kupiansk district of Ukraine has been without veterinary care. Veterinarians left these devastated towns and villages, where the sounds of the frontline have become a constant background, and shelling is as routine for the locals as a trip to the store. That’s why UAnimals chose this area for its first veterinary mission. A journalist from UAnimals Media joined the team and recorded the mission’s chronicles.

Forty years ago, UNESCO recognized Askania-Nova as one of the world's model natural reserves. It is the oldest steppe biosphere reserve globally and the largest in Europe. However, two and a half years ago, Askania fell under russian occupation and now faces severe neglect. In an interview for the #StopEcocideUkraine project, Reserve Director Viktor Shapoval talked about the devastating impact, including animal deaths, trenches in virgin steppes, and fires.

The Exclusion Zone? No, it’s a zone of dual ecocide, a zone of lessons unlearned. This is how Ukraine’s Chornobyl might be described post-2022. One might think that after a global-scale disaster under Soviet rule, russians would have learned that where there’s a risk of radiation contamination, extreme caution is paramount, as the effects touch everyone on the planet. Yet, here they are, repeating history. We delve into this as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

Since the beginning of the russian-Ukrainian war, the Truth Hounds NGO has been documenting and investigating war crimes, human rights violations, and environmental damage. As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, the organization’s co-director and PhD in International Law Dmytro Koval told us who and how to bring to justice for ecocide in Ukraine.

Lennard De Klerk is a Dutch businessman and scholar who was perhaps the first in the world to study the impact of military conflicts on the climate. His research primarily focuses on the war in Ukraine, but the researcher argues that humanity will feel its effects far beyond the country's borders. Learn more about these consequences in the article published as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

Kamianska Sich is a place rich in history and home to a unique steppe ecosystem. Two Ukrainian scientists grew so fond of this area that they dedicated themselves to studying and protecting it. Even now, after nine months of russian occupation and under constant shelling, they continue their work. Learn about what they have discovered so far and what they plan to explore next in this article, which is part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

How trees become a living shield during war, how animals settle in shell craters, and how lichens signal the revival of nature. Read the report from a Ukrainian national park near the russian border.

As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we talk about what is often grandly called "love for the homeland"—a feeling deeply rooted in memories of birds singing in Sumy, encounters with wild animals near Prypiat, and night swims in Crimea. But most of all, this love lives in dreams of these places surviving, so we can one day return.

Everyone in Ukraine and beyond should know the answers to these ten questions, share them, and never forget about russian ecocide. Otherwise, the perpetrators of environmental crimes will remain unpunished.

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.

How does explosive ordnance affect wildlife and natural areas? How long will it take to remove these threats from unique natural environments? We examine these issues as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

Helping animals with concussions and wounds from shelling wasn't the kind of work veterinarian Viktor Vorotnikov imagined in his childhood dreams. But this is the reality he shared with us in our conversation.

A heartwarming story about a soldier who took in a stray kitten at his dugout and now cares for her, just as she cares for him and his comrades.

What is happening to Ukrainian nature reserves under occupation? The destruction of entire ecosystems for the sake of profit, consumerism, and russia's further expansionist ambitions, the killing and theft of animals... Read about these and other russian environmental crimes in the OSINT investigation as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

The United States, Costa Rica, Uganda… Andrew Kushnir travels the world helping animals. This is his fifth visit to Ukraine: he has rescued not only cats and dogs but also lions and a leopard. He shared all of this in the interview, sometimes even in Ukrainian.

How do activists care for animals in Ukraine's regions? How does compassion for animals translate into hundreds of saved lives and the first court penalties for animal abusers? Read about this and more in an interview with a volunteer from the UAnimals community.

What crimes against the environment russia will pay for and how to restore Ukraine using European standards

On the anniversary of the Kakhovka catastrophe, as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we will hear firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses and immerse ourselves in their memories. Their testimonies reveal that ecocide is not an abstraction but a tangible reality — one that signifies the deliberate destruction of a specific area and the lives of the people and animals who once thrived there. russia must be held accountable

Is it possible to hold russia accountable for ecocide and compel it to compensate for the damage caused to nature? As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we are looking at how Ukrainian laws and international norms can help in it; what needs to be changed and what politicians are taking towards this.

Why we should be concerned about the decrease in fish in Ukraine

As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we are exploring the environmental consequences of the First and Second World Wars: which ones have been overcome, and which ones we haven't yet recovered from. This experience provides tools and motivates us to seek new solutions to prevent russian environmental crimes from destroying our environment.

How to recover from the loss of a pet? How to properly support those who have experienced such a tragedy? How to explain this death to a child? We asked a psychotherapist about this. In times of war, when there are so many losses around, her advice is worth reading by everyone.

The founder of a network of shelters for pets and farm animals shared her insights on equine-assisted therapy, explained the concept of ahimsa, discussed whether cows get sterilized, and revealed the cost of rescuing a large animal from occupied areas.

Tips on renting accommodation with your pets from a real estate expert and experienced people.

After February 24, life has changed: instead of continuing to design buildings or shoot videos, Khrystyna and Serhii decided to professionally catch animals for sterilization. Read more about this profession in the interview.

The story of a small animal who become a strong support during wartime for Ukrainian soldiers: reminding them of home and loved ones, being a friend and psychologist, and even saving live.