The Russian all-out invasion has caused more than $37.4 billion worth of damage to Ukraine's environment, according to the Accounting Chamber.
Almost one-third of Ukrainian forests – three million hectares – has already been affected; some of the forests are lost forever, the government agency wrote.
Over 67 million tons of hazardous particles are released into the air daily due to forest fires, the burning of petroleum products and industrial sites. For reference: Usually, it's about 2.2 million tons per year, the Accounting Chamber reported.
"Russia has also turned our fertile chernozem (black soil) into the world's most contaminated with explosive materials land," it stated, adding that it will take at least 10 years to demine Ukraine's territory.
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