---
title: "The Price of Ecocide: How Ukrainian Scientists Calculate Reparations for Destroyed Forests and Steppes"
description: "Ukrainian scientists have developed a methodology to claim reparations for ecocide. 🌲 The annual cost of a destroyed hectare of forest is estimated at $10,000–$15,000. Software for automatic damage calculation has been created, which will form the basis of international lawsuits. ⚖️📉"
date: 2026-06-21T05:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/price-of-ecocide-calculating-reparations-for-forests-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# The Price of Ecocide: How Ukrainian Scientists Calculate Reparations for Destroyed Forests and Steppes

![Ukrainian soldiers walking through a scorched forest area, illustrating the aftermath of ecocide for which scientists are calculating reparations.](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/21/tsena-ekotsida-raschet-reparatsiy-za-les/tsena-ekotsida-raschet-reparatsiy-za-les-1.webp)

The scale of environmental damage inflicted on Ukraine during the war remains uncertain due to ongoing occupation and the mining of territories. However, the scientific community has already begun systematic work: Ukrainian scientists are building an evidence base to claim reparations from Russia. A key aspect of this work is developing a methodology for assessing losses that can withstand scrutiny in international courts.

### Critical State of Forests and Steppes

One of the leading experts in this field is Academician Yakov Didukh, Head of the Department of Geobotany and Ecology at the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. According to him, the most destructive impact on nature comes not only from direct combat strikes but also from fires, which are often deliberately set.

The scientist pays particular attention to the situation with forests. He described the destruction of the Serebryansky Forest in the Luhansk region as critical. Forests are suffering on a massive scale, and restoring these ecosystems will require colossal effort and time.

An equally serious threat looms over the steppes. Due to mass mining and depopulation, these territories become inaccessible for grazing livestock for decades. In the absence of anthropogenic factors and grazing, steppes begin to be overgrown with shrubs, leading to their complete transformation and loss as a natural landscape.

### Long-term Climate Risks

The consequences of hostilities go beyond local destruction. In the south of the country, protective forest belts have been damaged, creating preconditions for the emergence of dust storms. Furthermore, the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir has put the existence of several rare plant species at risk.

Hydrologists also warn of long-term risks of rivers drying up in the south and southeast of Ukraine. According to forecasts, if urgent measures are not taken, waterways may disappear within the next fifty years.

### Damage Calculation Methodology and Digitalization

The main task for scientists at this stage is not just to calculate the total amount of losses, but to create a flawless assessment methodology. As Yakov Didukh explains, it is necessary to translate lost biomass into a monetary equivalent based on generally accepted international approaches. This will help avoid questions from international bodies when filing lawsuits in the future.

Based on current calculations, a preliminary cost of damage has been determined. The annual environmental cost of one hectare of destroyed forest is estimated at $10,000–$15,000. This amount includes not only restoration costs but also the value of forest functions: soil formation, climatic role, and recreational-social significance.

To speed up the process and minimize errors, scientists have developed special software. The text-based methodology previously presented to the Ministry of Ecology proved difficult to apply practically in government agencies. The new program allows for the automatic generation of damage assessment results upon entering initial data.

### From Fixing Losses to International Lawsuits

The next stage of work will be the legal implementation of the accumulated data. According to the academician, the State Environmental Inspectorate or the relevant ministry should use these calculations to file lawsuits for reparations for ecocide. Only the presence of a reliable, mathematically substantiated methodology will allow for the effective demand of compensation for damage inflicted on nature.