Kinburn Spit in Mykolaiv region has become a bridgehead for the occupiers

The Kinburn Spit remains a zone of constant shelling, where the occupiers are trying to hold their positions, and Ukrainian troops are rejecting them. Due to the large-scale destruction, the restoration of nature and the protected area will take many years.

This was reported by Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, in a commentary to Suspilne.

According to Pletenchuk, the Kinburn Spit reserve has been virtually destroyed. Not only plants but also animals are suffering.

According to the environmentalists I spoke to about this, the situation there is catastrophic. There were dozens of bird species there, and most of them have already disappeared," the spokesman said.

"Birds that feel threatened have left the area, and the return of flora and fauna is possible only after the gradual restoration of vegetation.

In addition, the coast and water area of the estuary are contaminated with wreckage, explosives and fuel. The spokesperson emphasized that the destruction of nature and human settlements is a typical method of Russian troops. According to him, any conflict with Moscow turns into a "scorched earth" when the territory is used as a training ground.

Kinburn is important for Russians as a foothold for shelling southern communities in Mykolaiv region. The limited area and the constant threat of mines make it difficult for Russian troops to stay on the peninsula for a long time. Pletenchuk noted that Kinburn allows controlling the Dnipro-Bug estuary, which is strategic for access to the sea for the ports of Kherson and Mykolaiv.

Restoration of the spit is possible only after de-occupation, demining and implementation of a comprehensive environmental program, including the restoration of flora and fauna and the cleaning of the water area from pollution.

On August 9, 2024, special forces of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine conducted a successful raid on the temporarily occupied Kinburn Spit. During the operation, Ukrainian forces destroyed about thirty occupants and six units of their armored vehicles. The soldiers attacked the enemy's fortified positions. On one of these positions, the special forces planted a flag of the military intelligence of Ukraine.

Last year, Intent wrote about the consequences of the environmental disaster in the south of the country. Experts estimate that the fighting has already caused more than 2.4 trillion hryvnias worth of environmental damage, which is more than the losses from the destroyed infrastructure. This includes large-scale soil, water and air pollution, land contamination and numerous forest fires.

Анна Бальчінос