While images of shattered buildings, bombed cities and thousands of casualties have come to symbolise the devastating impact of the war in Ukraine, scientists warn that an equally alarming but less visible crisis is unfolding beneath the surface — the contamination of the country’s fertile farmland. Experts now fear that years of fighting with Russia may have poisoned large swathes of Ukraine’s soil with toxic substances, posing a long-term threat to agriculture, food safety and the country’s economic stability.
Ukraine, widely regarded as the “breadbasket of Europe,” has seen vast agricultural lands transformed into battlefields since Russia launched its invasion in 2022. Fields once used for cultivating grain and sunflower crops are now scarred by explosions, missile strikes, drone attacks and burned-out military vehicles. The residues left behind from these weapons, including heavy metals and chemical pollutants, are believed to have seeped into the soil, potentially contaminating crops for years.
Researchers from the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, in collaboration with Ukraine’s Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU), have begun studying the long-term environmental impact of the conflict on agricultural land. According to experts involved in the research, many areas of farmland are now contaminated with toxic elements that could persist in the soil and food chain long after the fighting stops.
Professor Mark Horton, Pro-Vice Chancellor at RAU, said researchers quickly realised the scale of the potential problem after the war began. He noted that the damage caused by continuous bombardment posed a serious threat not only to Ukraine’s farming sector but also to global food security. Millions of craters created by artillery shells, missiles, glide bombs and drone attacks have left behind different types of residues across agricultural fields, making it difficult to determine the extent of contamination.
To investigate the issue, RAU partnered with SNAU, located in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border, to carry out soil analysis in war-affected regions. Ukrainian researchers collected samples from crater sites, damaged fields and areas surrounding destroyed military equipment. Scientists believe this may be the first time soil testing of this scale has been conducted while an active war is still underway.
Leading Ukrainian soil scientist Dr Olena Melnyk, who joined the British research team, said the findings were deeply concerning. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of several heavy metals including cadmium, cobalt, copper, zinc and nickel. These substances are known for their high toxicity and can cause serious health problems, including carcinogenic and developmental effects in humans.
The contamination is particularly worrying given Ukraine’s role in global agriculture. Prior to the war, the country was the world’s largest exporter of sunflower seeds and ranked seventh globally in grain exports. Agricultural exports generated nearly $27.8 billion in revenue in 2021, forming a crucial pillar of the national economy.
However, the war has disrupted this sector significantly. Grain ports and shipping routes have frequently been targeted during the conflict, as Russia has attempted to weaken Ukraine’s most valuable export industry. Ukrainian officials estimate that more than 800 square kilometres of farmland have already been contaminated by explosives and military debris.
Speaking at a conference of scientists involved in the research project in Cirencester, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy Ihor Bezkaravainyi described the country’s soil as the foundation of its economy. He revealed that more than 1.1 million craters have been identified in agricultural land since the conflict began.
Researchers stress that while the overall scale of damage is alarming, precise mapping of contaminated areas is crucial. Farmers cannot simply abandon large sections of farmland, making it essential to determine which areas remain safe for cultivation. To address this, scientists have collected over 8,000 soil samples, many from fields located close to active conflict zones, in an effort to identify safe farming areas and assess the long-term environmental impact of the war.
