Intelligence: Russia is losing fertile land; a desert is forming in Kalmykia
Russia is experiencing rapid degradation of agricultural land. Intelligence reports indicate that desertification processes are gaining momentum in a number of regions. In particular, the first true desert on the territory of modern-day Russia has already effectively formed in Kalmykia. According to analysts, this indicates a deterioration in the condition of fertile soils and environmental problems in the country’s agricultural sector.
This was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
According to official data, between 1.5 and 2 million hectares of land degrade in Russia every year, leading to the loss of nearly 4 million tons of agricultural production in grain equivalent. Losses from soil erosion alone can reach 25 billion rubles per year.
The situation is so critical that even representatives of the Russian scientific elite openly acknowledge the problem. Andrei Ivanov, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that there is no surplus land, and that soil desertification now affects not only traditionally arid regions but also the permafrost territories of Tuva and Yakutia.
In total, about 84 million hectares of land are at risk of desertification. The worst situation is observed in Dagestan, the Astrakhan region, the Kuban, and the Rostov region. And in Kalmykia, the first true desert on the territory of modern Russia has already effectively formed, stretching across 3.2 million hectares of land.
Equally alarming is the loss of humus—the foundation of soil fertility. According to experts, over the past century, much of Russia’s arable land, including the legendary black soils, has lost between 30% and 50% of its original organic matter reserves. This means a gradual decline in crop yields and rising costs to sustain agricultural production.
Climate change is an additional blow. A review of droughts in 2024 documented worsening arid conditions in most of the country’s natural regions. In the future, this will force farmers to spend increasingly more on fertilizers, irrigation, land reclamation, and risk insurance.
It is telling that discussions have already begun in Russia about the need to officially recognize the depreciation of land assets. Scientists propose testing soils for loss of fertility and reducing the book value of land in financial statements depending on soil condition.
“Thus, one of Russia’s key resources, which for decades was considered an unconditional advantage of the state, is gradually turning into a source of economic risks. And while the Kremlin spends resources on geopolitical adventures, Russia is quietly losing what is essential for both food security and stable economic development,” the SZRU noted.
British intelligence has assessed Russia’s losses in the war against Ukraine — The Guardian.
Trump unexpectedlybecame a British intelligence agent.
Trump stated that he does not support Taiwan’s independence
Trump arrived in China for the first time in nearly a decade
