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Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / War and military activity · Ukraine · 2022–2026

Ukraine’s criminal proceedings over wartime environmental harm

Nature's voice · report
My air, soil and surroundings in Kharkiv carry environmental harm of almost UAH 15 billion from the shelling of the Neutron Source facility, according to a forensic examination cited in the Kharkiv indictment of October 2024.
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record.
Recorded
  • Chapman’s zebras, American bison, Père David’s deer and a Przewalski’s horse were taken from my Askania-Nova reserve to a lion park in Crimea and to reserves in Russia, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General (April 2026). Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition)
What the record lacks: 5 none on record · 1 insufficient · 3 disputed See the gaps

Ukrainian prosecutors have registered many proceedings over wartime environmental harm, mostly under Article 438, and few under Article 441 (ecocide). Five Russian officers were charged in absentia over the shelling of the Neutron Source facility in Kharkiv; one court conviction over the Askania-Nova reserve was under war-crime provisions.

Almost UAH 15 billionNeutron Source indictment: environmental harm stated, Kharkiv, October 2024
Figure from a forensic engineering-ecological and economic examination cited in the indictment; prosecutors said the figures were not final.

Status As of 19 October 2026: Neutron Source indictment sent to court in October 2024 with no verdict on record; Askania-Nova conviction of 9 April 2026; no war-related Article 441 conviction.

What?
Ukrainian prosecutors registered proceedings over wartime environmental harm, mostly under Article 438 and few under Article 441 (ecocide); five Russian officers were charged in absentia over the Neutron Source facility in Kharkiv and one person was convicted over Askania-Nova. Environment-People-Law (EPL)
Where?
Kharkiv (Neutron Source facility, Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology) and the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve in Kherson region; regional prosecutors across Ukraine. Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL Ukrainian)
When?
Facility hit 74 times in 2022; suspicion notices 14 February 2024; indictment 25 October 2024; Askania-Nova verdict 9 April 2026; EPL analysis May 2026. Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL Ukrainian)
Who?
Gained
None on record
Lost
  • Russian-installed “director” of Askania-Nova — 15 years in prison, confiscation of property and a 15-year ban on public posts (9 April 2026) Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition)
Harmed
Why?
Prosecutors charged that the Neutron Source attacks were not accidental; the Askania-Nova case concerned removal of animals from a reserve to Crimea and Russia. Glavcom
How?
Prosecutors use Article 438 (violations of the laws and customs of war) far more than Article 441 (ecocide); suspects are mostly outside Ukraine, so cases proceed in absentia or are suspended until the suspects are located. Environment-People-Law (EPL)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

Ukraine’s ministry reported on 17 March 2026 that most of the 10,885 recorded environmental-damage cases were being investigated under Article 441 (ecocide) or added to existing cases. A May 2026 analysis by the NGO Environment-People-Law (EPL), based on regional prosecutors’ replies for 2022 to early 2026, reported far fewer: Article 441 registrations of 3 in Rivne (2 potentially war-related) in 2022, 1 in Odesa in 2022 (mass deaths of cetaceans in the Black Sea), 1 each in Dnipropetrovsk in 2022 and 2023, 1 in Poltava in 2022, 1 in Kharkiv in 2022, 2 in 2023 and 1 in 2025, 2 in Zhytomyr in 2022 (one closed) and 1 in Sumy opened on 21 January 2026; most other regions reported none or no systematic data. Article 438 (violations of the laws and customs of war) was used far more often: for example 70 proceedings in Sumy, 20 in Kherson, 34 aggression-related proceedings with environmental harm in Kharkiv and 38, 7, 18, 18 and 1 in Vinnytsia for 2022 to January 2026.

On 14 February 2024 Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin announced the first ecocide suspicion notices, to a Russian colonel-general and four subordinates, over the shelling of the “Neutron Source” nuclear research facility of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, which prosecutors said was hit 74 times in 2022. On 25 October 2024 the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor sent an indictment to court charging violations of the laws and customs of war and ecocide “committed by a group by prior conspiracy”. The accused are the then commander of the Western Military District (a colonel-general), the commanders of the 6th Combined Arms Army and of the 6th Air Force and Air Defence Army, and the commanders of the 45th Artillery Brigade and the 79th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade. They are wanted, so the trial is to be held in absentia. The indictment puts environmental harm at almost UAH 15 billion and building restoration at over UAH 30 million, and prosecutors said the figures were not final. No verdict is on record.

On 9 April 2026, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General as reported by Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition), a court convicted the Russian-installed “director” of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve in Kherson region, sentencing the person to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property and a 15-year ban on public posts. The case concerned the removal of animals (Chapman’s zebras, American bison, Père David’s deer, Przewalski’s horse) to the “Taigan” lion park in Crimea and to reserves in Russia, with damage of UAH 85.2 million. The prosecutors presented it as an environmental war crime, and the verdict was under war-crime provisions. No war-related conviction under Article 441 is on record.

EPL’s analysis found that in most regions there were no suspicion notices or indictments under Article 441 and, apart from one case in Zaporizhzhia, practically no in absentia investigations. In Sumy, 11 Russian servicemen were notified of suspicion in 2 proceedings under Article 438 and the investigation was suspended until they were located. In Kharkiv, 7 persons were notified of suspicion and cases against 5 were sent to court in related proceedings not under Article 441. In Zaporizhzhia, 3 indictments were sent to court, none under Article 441. EPL concluded that there is a “substantial gap” between the scale of damage and prosecution practice.

  1. 2022Neutron Source facility hit 74 times, according to prosecutors
  2. 2024First ecocide suspicion notices announced by Prosecutor General Kostin (14 Feb)
  3. 2024Indictment against five Russian officers sent to court, to be tried in absentia (25 Oct)
  4. 2026Ministry says most recorded cases are investigated under Article 441 or added to existing cases (17 Mar)
  5. 2026Court convicts the Russian-installed “director” of Askania-Nova (9 Apr)
  6. 2026EPL publishes its analysis of regional prosecutors’ practice (May)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“the world’s first case of criminal prosecution for the crime of ecocide”

Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General of Ukraine (translated) · 14 February 2024 · translated from Ukrainian · Glavcom

“These attacks were not accidental”

Ukrainian prosecutors (translated) · 14 February 2024 · translated from Ukrainian · Glavcom

“in the overwhelming majority of regions there are no suspicion notices or indictments sent to court under Art. 441”

Environment-People-Law (EPL), analysis of regional prosecutors’ practice (translated) · May 2026 · translated from Ukrainian · Environment-People-Law (EPL)

“there are no comparable procedural results under Article 441”

Environment-People-Law (EPL), analysis of regional prosecutors’ practice (translated) · May 2026 · translated from Ukrainian · Environment-People-Law (EPL)

“substantial gap”

Environment-People-Law (EPL), on the gap between the scale of damage and prosecution practice (translated) · May 2026 · translated from Ukrainian · Environment-People-Law (EPL)

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

How many recorded cases are investigated under Article 441 (ecocide)
Government and regulators
Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine (17 March 2026)

Most of the 10,885 recorded cases are investigated in pre-trial proceedings under Article 441 or added to existing cases.

Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine
Communities and civil society
Environment-People-Law (EPL), May 2026

Regional prosecutors reported single-digit Article 441 registrations per region and, in the overwhelming majority of regions, no suspicion notices or indictments under that article.

Environment-People-Law (EPL)
Response to the Neutron Source indictment and the Askania-Nova verdict
Government and regulators
Prosecutor General of Ukraine

The attacks on the Neutron Source were not accidental and five Russian officers are charged with violations of the laws and customs of war and ecocide.

Glavcom
Government and regulators
Government of Russia

No response to the indictment or the verdict on record.

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

  • The Prosecutor General presented the Neutron Source notices as the first criminal prosecution for ecocide in the world.
    Prosecutor General of Ukraine (14 February 2024) · Glavcom
  • The ministry presented most of its 10,885 recorded cases as being investigated under Article 441 or added to existing cases.
    Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine (17 March 2026) · Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine
  • The Office of the Prosecutor General presented the Askania-Nova conviction as a 15-year sentence with confiscation of property.
    Office of the Prosecutor General, via USI and Kyiv Post (9 April 2026) · Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition)

Recorded

  • Article 441 registrations reported by regional prosecutors: Rivne 3 in 2022 (2 potentially war-related); Odesa 1 in 2022 (mass deaths of cetaceans in the Black Sea); Dnipropetrovsk 1 each in 2022 and 2023; Poltava 1 in 2022; Kharkiv 1 in 2022, 2 in 2023, 1 in 2025; Zhytomyr 2 in 2022 (one closed); Sumy 1 opened 21 January 2026; most other regions none or no systematic data.
    Environment-People-Law (EPL)
  • Article 438 proceedings: Vinnytsia 38 (2022), 7 (2023), 18 (2024), 18 (2025), 1 (January 2026); Sumy 70 (57 by the SBU, 13 by police); Kherson 20; Mykolaiv 6; Chernihiv 7 proceedings (6 under Article 438) covering 188 episodes; Kharkiv 34 aggression-related proceedings with environmental harm; Zaporizhzhia 10 registered (6 under Article 438, 4 under Article 240).
    Environment-People-Law (EPL)
  • Suspects and indictments: Kharkiv 7 persons notified of suspicion and cases against 5 sent to court, in related proceedings not under Article 441; Sumy 11 Russian servicemen notified of suspicion in 2 proceedings under Article 438, investigation suspended until they are located; Zaporizhzhia 3 indictments sent to court (Articles 249, 240, 364, 436-2, 255, 111-1, 111-2), none under Article 441.
    Environment-People-Law (EPL)
  • Neutron Source indictment of 25 October 2024: charges of violations of the laws and customs of war and ecocide against five Russian officers, wanted and to be tried in absentia; environmental harm almost UAH 15 billion (forensic engineering-ecological and economic examination); building restoration over UAH 30 million; figures not final.
    Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL Ukrainian)
  • Askania-Nova, 9 April 2026: conviction of the Russian-installed “director”; 15 years in prison, confiscation of property, 15-year ban on public posts; damage UAH 85.2 million; animals removed to a lion park in Crimea and to reserves in Russia.
    Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition)
  • Charged and convicted: Neutron Source, 5 Russian officers charged (indictment in court, in absentia), none convicted; Askania-Nova, 1 person convicted under war-crime provisions; no ecocide conviction is on record.
    Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL Ukrainian)

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
Environmental harm stated in the Neutron Source indictment, Kharkiv (October 2024)15bn
Window: 2022 shelling
Forensic engineering-ecological and economic examination; figures not final.
Damage stated in the Askania-Nova case (April 2026)85m
Window: 2022–2026
Removal of animals from the reserve; confiscation of property ordered in the verdict.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
Building restoration stated in the Neutron Source indictment30m
Window: 2022 shelling
Currency: UAH · Window: Mixed — see each line. Figures cover different periods and are not compared as a ratio. * Estimate built from cited figures.

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

  1. 2024–OngoingUAH 15bn environmental harm stated in the indictment (almost); buildings over UAH 30 million
    Neutron Source, Kharkiv: charges of violations of the laws and customs of war and ecocide
    Ukrainian court (indictment sent by the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor) · Criminal · Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office, Kharkiv regional prosecutor → Five Russian officers charged in absentia: the then commander of the Western Military District (colonel-general); commanders of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 6th Air Force and Air Defence Army, the 45th Artillery Brigade and the 79th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade

    Suspicion notices announced on 14 February 2024; indictment sent to court on 25 October 2024. The accused are wanted, so the trial is in absentia. No verdict is on record. Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL Ukrainian)

  2. 2026Claimant wonUAH 85.2m damage
    Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve: removal of animals
    Ukrainian court (not named in the source) · Criminal · Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine → The Russian-installed “director” of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve

    Convicted on 9 April 2026 and sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property and a 15-year ban on public posts; the case was presented as an environmental war crime and the verdict was under war-crime provisions. Kyiv Post (Ukrainian edition)

  3. 2022–Ongoing
    Sumy region: proceedings under Article 438 over environmental harm
    Sumy regional prosecutors, the SBU and police · Criminal · Sumy regional prosecutors → Eleven Russian servicemen notified of suspicion in 2 proceedings

    Investigation suspended until the suspects are located; 70 Article 438 proceedings were registered in Sumy region (57 by the SBU, 13 by police). Environment-People-Law (EPL)

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What nature saw

Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

Neutron Source indictment
Almost UAH 15 billion
Environmental harm; 5 Russian officers charged in absentia
Askania-Nova verdict
15 years
Sentence; UAH 85.2 million damage; war-crime provisions
Article 441 convictions, war-related
0
None on record
Article 441 registrations
Single digits per region
EPL, from regional prosecutors’ replies

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Court ruling existsCase pending / contested

Accounts

  • Disputed How many recorded cases are investigated under Article 441 (ecocide)
  • Disputed Response to the Neutron Source indictment and the Askania-Nova verdict
  • None on record Government of Russia: No response to the indictment or the verdict on record.

Record

  • None on record None on record: a war-related conviction under Article 441 (ecocide).
  • None on record None on record: a verdict in the Neutron Source case.
  • None on record None on record: a Russian response to the ecocide indictment or to the Askania-Nova verdict.
  • Disputed Figures differ: the ministry says most of the 10,885 recorded cases are investigated under Article 441 or added to existing cases; EPL’s regional data show single-digit Article 441 registrations per region.
  • Insufficient Insufficient: EPL’s data come from regional prosecutors’ replies for 2022 to early 2026.
  • None on record None on record: whether the confiscation of property ordered in the Askania-Nova verdict was enforced.

Did the harm stop?

None on record.

Who paid?

No payment on record. The damage figures are the sums stated in the indictment and the verdict.

Sources

Voices on record: — Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations✓ Communities and civil society— Researchers

Government and regulators

Press and investigations

Communities and civil society

Connected cases

Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.