Although Ukraine occupies only 6% of the area in Europe, the tiny country possesses 35% of the continent's biodiversity. Earlier, the Chernobyl disaster wounded Ukraine in 1986 and left deep scars on the country's environment which can even be seen today. One-tenth of Ukraine's land area was affected by the radiation and even today, Ukraine releases polluted water and heavy metals into the Black Sea. Any kind of war will disrupt landscapes - terrestrial and marine habitats - and create air, soil and water pollution from the use of weapons, air crafts and other destructive explosives that are hazardous to the environment. Such has always been the case be it World War I or II. For instance, the bombardment of cities and the destruction of forests, farms and irrigation systems during World War II produced devastating environmental consequences, and by the end of the war there were almost 5 crore refugees  and displaced people.

 

Conventional weapons also cause enough damage, especially in places where they are disposed of through open burning or detonation. High-intensity conflicts also require and  consume vast quantities of fuel, leading to massive CO2 emissions and contributing to climate change.