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Between 2022 and 2023, in the first two years of the Ukrainian war, almost 1,600 square kilometers of forests were destroyed. The scale of devastation, along with its environmental, social, and economic consequences, is difficult to quantify.

The findings—published in —are the result of research that combined satellite images of the conflict-affected areas with an artificial intelligence system based on machine learning.

"Along with the terrible loss of life, the war in Ukraine has also caused serious environmental damage, starting with the destruction of vast forested areas," says Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Professor at the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna, who led the research. "The damage to biodiversity and ecosystem processes, such as water filtration, soil formation, and climate regulation is difficult to quantify."

According to the analysis system developed by the researchers, Ukraine lost 808 square kilometers of forest in 2022 and 772 square kilometers in 2023, mainly in war-torn regions: 180 square kilometers in Donetsk Oblast, 181 square kilometers in Kharkiv Oblast, 214 square kilometers in Kherson Oblast, 268 square kilometers in Kyiv Oblast, and 195 square kilometers in Luhansk Oblast.

Researchers believe fire is the main cause of forest loss. In March 2022, for instance, many forest fires were detected in the Kherson Oblast, and Russian troops tried to hinder attempts to extinguish the flames. The valuable biodiversity hotspot of Cape Kinburn, in the southern part of the Mykolaiv Oblast, is another example: fires are estimated to have destroyed between 20–30% of the area, which is now occupied by the Russian military.

"When the war ends, there will be a need for strong and efficient environmental policies to stop biodiversity loss, promote reforestation and restore ecosystems," added Cazzolla Gatti. "Reforested areas may contribute to the creation of ecological humanitarian corridors and support demilitarization, creating buffer zones to build and preserve peace."

The study authors include Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Rocío Beatriz Cortés Lobos and Duccio Rocchini from the University of Bologna, together with Michele Torresani from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.