A Russian drone attack targeted Feldman Ecopark in the suburbs of Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, during the early hours of 3 March, resulting in the deaths of multiple animals.
Since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Russia has been targeting civilian areas in Ukraine daily to disrupt daily life and instill fear. This strategy, often referred to as “terror bombing,” is designed to undermine morale and will to resist. Despite international condemnation, Russia consistently denies targeting civilians, claiming that such incidents are accidental or the result of Ukrainian military actions in populated areas.
The strike on the Ecopark occurred around 1:00 a.m. near the petting zoo area, destroying animal enclosures.
“There is the destruction of enclosures and dead animals, goats that were in the petting area,” the park’s spokesperson Olena Klymenko told Suspilne Kharkiv.
The Office of the Prosecutor General initiated a pre-trial investigation into the incident as a potential war crime under the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The attack also affected the nearby village of Lisne, where houses sustained minor damage, according to the head of the Malodanylivka community.
The same night, Russian drones struck a residential building in the Kyiv district of Kharkiv city. The prosecutor’s office reported that three women, two men, and a 6-year-old boy were diagnosed with acute stress reaction following the attack. A 21-year-old resident suffered neck burns, while a 58-year-old man received facial injuries.
Russian ecological war crimes
As of January 2025, Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources reported that Russia’s invasion caused environmental damages exceeding €72.9 billion, with over 7,000 ecological crimes documented.
Notable incidents include the 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka Dam by Russian forces, releasing 18.2 cubic kilometers of water, resulting in significant aquatic life loss, and the destruction of over 11,000 hectares of forest. Additionally, the war has contaminated 20.8 million square meters of soil and released 175 million tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
One more example is the Holy Mountains National Nature Park in Donetsk Oblast, which was under Russian occupation from March to September 2022 and continues to experience frequent shelling, leading to numerous fires. Approximately 80% of the park’s forested areas, totaling around 9,500 hectares, have been destroyed, with environmental damages estimated at about 16 billion hryvnias (approximately $388 million).
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Ukraine’s Holy Mountains national park devastated by Russia’s war and fires
