Sviati Hory National Nature Park, Donetsk Oblast, 2022–
- The Ministry's headline states that about 80% of my forest plantings in the park were destroyed; it gives no baseline. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection
- 10,000 ha of my park need survey and clearance of explosive objects; park staff had cleared about 100 km of forest roads by 2 August 2024. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection
- About 9,500 hectares of my forest were lost.Deputy Minister Olena Kramarenko.
Ukraine's Ministry of Environmental Protection stated on 2 August 2024 that the war had destroyed about 80% of the forest plantings of Sviati Hory National Nature Park, that about 9,500 ha of forest had been burned, and that its preliminary damage estimate was UAH 16 billion.
The Ministry gives no method; in its wording the damage is attributed to “the occupiers”.
Status As of August 2024: the Ministry's preliminary estimate stood at UAH 16 billion; demining survey of 10,000 ha pending.
- Sviati Hory National Nature Park forest — About 9,500 ha burned; about 80% of forest plantings destroyed (Ministry) Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection
What happened
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine stated on 2 August 2024 (republished on the Cabinet of Ministers portal) that the war had destroyed about 80% of the forest plantings of Sviati Hory National Nature Park, near Sviatohirsk on the Siverskyi Donets in Donetsk Oblast. The Ministry gave no baseline for the percentage.
Deputy Minister Olena Kramarenko said: “About 9.5 thousand hectares of forest in the Sviati Hory national park have been burned by the fire of war” (translated from Ukrainian). The Ministry said 10,000 ha need survey and clearance of explosive objects, and that about 100 km of forest roads had been cleared by park staff. “The first and most important thing is demining”, it said.
The Ministry's preliminary estimate of the environmental damage was UAH 16 billion, attributed in the Ministry's wording to “the occupiers”. The release gives no method for the figure. Ivan Moisienko of Kherson State University said in an NGL.media investigation (Euromaidan Press, 9 April 2024): “Almost the entire forest was mined there”.
- 2024Ministry of Environmental Protection states that the war destroyed about 80% of the park's forest plantings, about 9,500 ha burned, preliminary damage UAH 16 billion (2 Aug); Euromaidan Press report (5 Aug)
What was said
“About 9.5 thousand hectares of forest in the Sviati Hory national park have been burned by the fire of war”
“The first and most important thing is demining”
“Almost the entire forest was mined there”
How it looked
Shown
- Ministry of Environment: War destroyed about 80% of forest plantings of Sviati Hory national park (headline)Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, 2 August 2024 · Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection
- Russia's war destroys 80% of Ukrainian “Holy Mountains” National Park (headline)Euromaidan Press, 5 August 2024 · Euromaidan Press
Recorded
- The Ministry's release gives no baseline for the 80% figure and no method for the UAH 16 billion estimate.
- 10,000 ha need survey and clearance of explosive objects; about 100 km of forest roads cleared by park staff.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine (2 August 2024): About 80% of the park's forest plantings destroyed; about 9,500 ha burned; preliminary damage UAH 16 billion; demining first. · Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Record
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: The baseline behind the Ministry's 80% figure of forest plantings destroyed.
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: The method behind the UAH 16 billion preliminary damage estimate.
- None on record None on record: A statement from the Russian-installed authorities on the park.
Did the harm stop?
None on record.
Who paid?
None on record.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Міндовкілля: Війна знищила близько 80% лісових насаджень нацпарку «Святі Гори» (Ministry of Environment: War destroyed about 80% of forest plantings of Sviati Hory national park)Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine / Ministry of Environmental Protection · 2024-08-02
Press and investigations
- Russia's war destroys 80% of Ukrainian “Holy Mountains” National ParkEuromaidan Press · 2024-08-05
- Russia destroys over 60,000 hectares of Ukrainian forests worth over $360 mn – investigationEuromaidan Press / NGL.media · 2024-04-09
Connected cases
- Wildfires in Ukraine's war zone and on the Kinburn Spit, 2022–2025 Ukraine · 2022–2025 Related matter
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine (Government) — here: Issued the damage estimate and the forest-loss statement; there: Kinburn monitoring statement, May 2023
- Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve under occupation, 2022– Ukraine · 2022–2025 Related matter
- Ukraine’s official count of war damage to the environment Ukraine · 2022–2026 Related matter
- Munition residues and war damage in Ukrainian soils: measurements and state damage assessments Ukraine · 2022–2026
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine (Government) — here: Issued the damage estimate and the forest-loss statement; there: Issued the damage calculation methodology (Order No. 167)