Remotely visible impacts on air quality after a year-round full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine

Abstract

A full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine caused large devastation, including significant pressure on the environment. Numerous missile strikes on industrial facilities, wildfires near the front-line, use of military equipment, and other accidents and various processes resulting from the war have impacted air quality. In this paper, we aim to assess changes in air pollution following a year-long period of the war based on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) content derived from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) data. The general air quality changes were often uncertain for much of the territory due to meteorological influence on favorable conditions for air pollution accumulation or dispersion. The most crucial changes were observed during the first months of the war, showing a decrease in NO2 levels in major cities, NO2 increase close to the borders, including eastern and northeastern Ukraine, and elevated CO content over wildfires near the front-line. The impact of the war on cities varied depending on their distance from the front-line, the availability of critical infrastructure, and “occupied – non-occupied” status. The essential role of remote sensing is discussed as for assessing over a long period as well as for detecting short-term releases of air pollutants, which can be important for identifying accidental events.