600 animal species face extinction in Ukraine, – country’s environment minister
Source: Interfax-Ukraine
Ukraine’s natural environment faces unprecedented risks due to the ongoing war, with at least 600 animal species and 750 plant and fungi species, many of which have a protection status, are facing exentsion. In her comments for Interfax-Ukraine, country’s environment minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, revealed the devastating effect of the war on Ukraine’s ecosystems. Eight hundred natural reserves and protected areas have sustained severe damage, while over 500 others remain under occupation.
The Russian aggression has impacted 0.9 million hectares of Ukraine’s protected areas and placed another 0.8 million hectares under occupation. This includes two biosphere reserves, eight nature reserves, and ten national parks.
Assessments of ecological damage anf future restoration plans will require a colossal effort. According to Hrynchuk, accurate evaluations will be possible after extensive mine-clearing campaign—a process that experts believe could take decades.
The Emerald Network, a European conservation initiative, also faces devastating threats, with 2.9 million hectares that are spanning 160 areas under siege. Seventeen wetlands that have an international protection status also face critical damage.
While some natural ecosystems may begin to recover slowly, others will require detailed long-term restoration plans.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.