The war in Ukraine is striking not only land-based infrastructure but also the underwater world. Scientists are recording unprecedented deaths of marine mammals, and the consequences of chemical pollution could encompass the entire Black Sea.
Ivan Rusev, a Doctor of Biological Sciences and head of the research department of the "Tuzlovsky Limans" National Nature Park, described the current situation as catastrophic in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. According to him, the pressure on the dolphin population, which is listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has reached critical levels.
Loss statistics and accounting difficulties
The figures cited by the expert indicate a massive crisis. According to scientists' estimates, about 20,000 dolphins died in the first half of 2026 alone. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, this figure has exceeded 100,000 individuals.
However, the real picture may be even grimmer. Rusev notes that 95% of the dead animals sink and do not surface. Of the remaining 5% that wash ashore, only a small fraction is discovered. This turns the recording of deaths into a real race against time.
The main task for researchers now is to document every death. "If we do not document every death now, later they will say that 'there is no war impact'," the scientist warns, emphasizing the need to preserve the evidence base of environmental damage.
Migration and chemical threat
Against the backdrop of population degradation, dolphins are changing their behavior, becoming more cautious. Colleagues from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey report that animals are massively leaving combat zones. As a result, an abnormally high number of mammals is currently observed in the coastal waters of these countries.
Nevertheless, the total population size remains critically low. Dolphins are trying to survive, but living conditions are worsening with each passing day.
Particular concern is caused by the risk of chemical pollution. According to Rusev, toxic substances could spread as far as the Bosphorus Strait, covering the entire Black Sea. This threatens the loss of a unique ecosystem.
"Without dolphins, the Black Sea will cease to be 'alive'. It will begin to degrade. And life in it will fade away," summarizes the head of the research department.
The expert emphasizes that animals currently need to be provided with proper conditions for survival to prevent a complete ecological catastrophe in the region.
