The war has damaged more than 10,000 hectares of farmland in northern Ukraine
In northern Ukraine, more than 10,000 hectares of farmland have been damaged due to the war, and over 1 million craters have been recorded in the fields.
This was reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The affected areas include the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions. According to experts’ estimates, the area of potentially contaminated soil in these regions exceeds 765 square kilometers.
As of April 1, 2026, the study covered over 54,000 square kilometers of territories affected by hostilities. Experts analyzed over 1.13 million land plots using satellite imagery.
As a result, over 1.09 million craters were recorded, indicating extensive soil destruction and risks to agricultural production.
“Such data helps identify areas requiring priority restoration and plan for the safe return of land to use,” the FAO noted.
The study was presented at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES) as part of a joint program between the FAO and the World Food Program.
Overall, the project involves soil surveys in seven regions of Ukraine and combines demining with financial support for farmers.
Also, as part of the 2026–2028 strategy, plans are in place to raise $193 million to restore access to land for 240,000 rural families.
A new chapter of the war has unfolded near Pokrovsk—now Ukrainian fields resemble a giant fiber-optic grid.
Ukrainian defenders have revealed the so-called “fields of death” of the Russian occupiers, who are attempting to break through the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Sumy region.
