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ISSN:2325-6192 (print)
ISSN:2325-6206 (online)
Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management
António Mendes Lopes (editor), Jiazhong Zhang(editor)
António Mendes Lopes (editor)

University of Porto, Portugal

Email: aml@fe.up.pt

Jiazhong Zhang (editor)

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China

Fax: +86 29 82668723 Email: jzzhang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Military Actions as an Environmental Threat: Transformation of Forest Ecosystems and Implications for Ukraine's Economic and National Security

Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management 14(4) (2026) 605--618 | DOI:10.5890/JEAM.2026.12.005

Oleh Semenenko$^1$, Uzef Dobrovolskyi$^{2}$, Yurii Kliat$^{1}$, Maksym Samsonenko$^{3}$, Nataliia Myronenko$^{1}$

$^{1}$ Central Research Institute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 03049, 28B Povitroflotskyy Ave., Kyiv, Ukraine

$^{2}$ National Aviation University, 03058, 1 Liubomyr Huzar Ave., Kyiv, Ukraine

$^{3}$ Institute of State Military Management of the National Defence University of Ukraine, 03049, 28 Povitrianykh Syl Ave., Kyiv, Ukraine

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Abstract

The study is aimed at analysing the impact of military actions on Ukraine's forest ecosystems and their consequences for the country's economy and security. The research employed methods of comprehensive analysis, an assessment of the impact of military actions on the ecological state of forest ecosystems and their economic repercussions. The findings reveal that military actions significantly degrade the condition of Ukraine's forest ecosystems, causing their mass destruction and degradation. Damage to forest stands from shelling and explosions leads to substantial losses of tree biomass, disruption of natural ecosystem recovery processes. The destruction of forests adversely affects soil cover, exacerbating erosion processes, diminishing land fertility. It has been established that this, in turn, worsens the environmental situation, which may have serious consequences for human health, the resilience of natural habitats. The study demonstrates that the degradation of forest resources has severe economic implications for the country: reduced timber harvesting volumes, diminished recreational potential of forests, increased costs for ecosystem restoration. The results of this research can be utilized by government agencies, environmental organizations, scholars, to develop effective strategies for forest ecosystem restoration, assess environmental risks, formulate national policies on environmental security and resilience to the consequences of military conflicts.

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