ЕКОЗЛОЧИНИ ТА ПРОБЛЕМИ З ВІДХОДАМИ ПІД ЧАС ВОЄННИХ ДІЙ В УКРАЇНІ

Abstract

The active hostilities that have been taking place on the territory of Ukraine since February 24, 2022 are the continuation of the war that the Russian Federation started back in 2014 with the occupation of the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions and Crimea. Among the consequences of hostilities, in addition to civilian casualties and large-scale destruction, there is also a negative impact on the environment, which can pose a threat to people’s health and life. The article describes the direct and indirect environmental consequences of hostilities. It is substantiated that the actions of the Russian occupiers can be classified as ecocrimes. The classification of ecocrimes is presented, including the following types: damage to industrial facilities; crimes against energy security that pose a threat to the environment; impact on ecosystems; destruction of the genetic bank of plants; promoting waste generation. Ecocrimes are analyzed according to the proposed types. It was determined that there is significant damage to industrial facilities in Ukraine, which has caused emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, pollution of land and groundwater, damage to infrastructure facilities. It is substantiated that crimes against energy security, and especially against nuclear security, pose perhaps the greatest threat not only to the environment, but also to the life and health of the population. The negative influence of military operations on land ecosystems (destruction due to fires, passage of heavy military equipment, construction of trenches, etc.), marine ecosystems (pollution of the waters of the Black Sea, and especially the Sea of Azov) and the destruction of the unique genetic bank of plants in the city of Kharkiv were analyzed. The problem of waste generation as a component of ecocrimes during the war is studied. It was determined that the specific waste of hostilities is military waste (broken equipment, mines, unexploded shells, etc.), construction waste (from the destruction of buildings), hazardous waste generated during the destruction or damage of industrial enterprises (which produce harmful substances), waste of agricultural enterprises (animal corpses during the destruction of farms, animal manure when it is impossible to dispose them due to hostilities).