In northern Ukraine, the Seim and Desna rivers, once vibrant and teeming with life, have become disaster zones. Their waters, once full of fish, have turned lifeless, now filled with the bodies of dead creatures. Residents in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions were left in shock for a long time as the rivers, once lifelines for the community, turned a dark, ominous colour, and their shores became strewn with the lifeless bodies of fish.
“The river was the lifeblood of the village. The Desna flows around half the village, and people live along its banks. When the fish began to die in large numbers, the stench was so overwhelming that people couldn’t even step outside,” says Svitlana Popok, head of the Makoshynskyi district in Chernihiv region.
Mykola Okhonko, a resident of Makoshyne, shares how the community came together to do what they could to prevent the disaster from worsening. “This situation united those who cared, and they began cleaning the banks, removing the dead fish and crayfish,” he says.
It all began in mid-August, when dark waters flowing from Russian territory reached the Seim River and, from there, the Desna.
As Valerii Piyuk, the acting head of the State Ecological Inspection in the Sumy region, explained, “On August 14, we received the first signals from border guards that the water had darkened. After the initial tests, it became clear that the oxygen level in the water was zero.”
Preliminary findings suggest that the source of the disaster was waste from a sugar factory in Tyotkino, in Russia’s Kursk region. “The information about the emissions from Russian territory came from the State Border Guard Service, and this was also confirmed by scientific studies. Some additional information also came from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine,” said Dmytro Zaruba, the First Deputy Head of the State Ecological Inspection of Ukraine.
It was revealed that approximately 6,000 tons of organic waste had entered the water. Oleh Lystopad, an ecologist and expert with the ANTS network, explains the dire impact: “They oxidise and essentially ‘consume’ all the oxygen. As a result, the water becomes lifeless, and tragically, all the fish and other aquatic organisms perish.”
Yuriy Stalnychenko, Secretary of the Mena City Council in the Chernihiv region, shared the heartbreaking efforts of local authorities and volunteers who collected up to two tons of dead fish each day during the first week of the disaster. In total, around 10 tons of dead fish were retrieved. “Most of it was predatory river fish — pike, perch. Sadly, even red-listed species were found, like the Ukrainian lamprey and sturgeon,” says Yuriy.
This crisis is not just an environmental catastrophe but also a profound social issue, as for many residents, fish is both a crucial part of their diet and a source of income. “It has hurt the households the most. Can you imagine how much dead fish we pulled out? We had huge, beautiful pikes, some weighing as much as 10 kilograms,” says Svitlana Popok, her voice heavy with sorrow.
In October, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Hrynchuk revealed that the estimated environmental damage to Sumy and Chernihiv regions has already surpassed 530 million hryvnias (approximately 14.36 million US dollars). “These facts have been documented by law enforcement agencies. On every international platform, we bring up the issue, highlight the situation, and demand attention. Russia is blatantly disregarding all international norms, committing a direct crime against the natural resources of a neighbouring country,” Hrynchuk said in an interview with Ukrinform.
Olha Melen-Zabramna, head of the legal department at the NGO Ecology-Law-People, explains that this could be classified as ecocide, but proving it during wartime will be difficult. “If there is evidence of widespread destruction of wildlife, poisoning of water resources, or an environmental disaster, it could be considered ecocide. We also need to establish a clear link between the actions of the occupiers and the environmental damage, such as the mass fish kill. The way the Criminal Code is written makes it unclear whether the occupier’s actions should be seen as intentional or negligent. Because of the ongoing military actions, it’s challenging to establish the direct connection between a specific military act and environmental harm and to hold anyone accountable for ecocide,” she explains.
Environmentalists warn that restoring the rivers will take at least 3-5 years. “I’m often asked whether anything can be done. Unfortunately, in the current situation, there’s practically nothing that can be done,” says Oleh Lystopad.
Local residents are doing their best to adjust to the new reality, but it’s difficult when you look at a river that was once a source of joy and life and has now turned into a dark streak of pain. “A lot has been lost, and this has signs of psychological harm for our residents,” says Mykola Okhonko, his voice tinged with sadness.
The environmental disaster on the Seim and Desna rivers has become a serious challenge for Ukraine’s ecosystem and society. Since the end of February 2022, the Russian forces have caused over 2.4 trillion hryvnias (approximately 58.08 billion US dollars) in damage to Ukraine’s environment. The aquatic environment is one of the most polluted and hardest hit by Russia’s full-scale invasion. This disaster on the Seim and Desna rivers is not only a tragedy for the people but also a crime against nature. The loss of ecosystems, the death of aquatic organisms, and the widespread contamination of water are all likely the result of violations of international humanitarian law, which mandates the protection of the environment during armed conflicts.
The impact of this disaster will be felt for years to come. But perhaps even more profound is the psychological toll it has taken on local residents. The river, once a lifeline, has been lost—leaving behind deep emotional wounds. The loss of nature cannot simply be measured in dollars or in the number of dead animals. It is a loss of something far more significant: a part of our identity, our heritage, and the very fabric of our lives.
International humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions and their protocols, clearly prohibits the intentional destruction of the environment in ways that could have severe consequences for the health and livelihoods of civilians. According to international law, any action that causes widespread harm to natural resources or ecosystems should be deemed illegal, with those responsible held accountable. This is why those behind this disaster must face responsibility. Nature is not merely a resource; it is the foundation of life for each of us. Protecting it must become a top priority on the global stage. If international organisations fail to defend nature, tragedies like the one on the Seim and Desna rivers could become more common.
We must remember that we’re not only losing lives but also a vast, irreplaceable natural resource that is the foundation of our future. The issue of holding those responsible for ecological crimes is just as crucial as holding them accountable for the loss of human life. In these challenging times for Ukraine, we must defend not only our people but also our environment.
