Currently, as a result of military operations, 600 species of animals and 750 species of plants and fungi, including those listed in the Red Book, have become endangered, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk said.

As she noted in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, more than 800 objects of the nature reserve fund (0.9 million hectares) were damaged and more than 500 objects (0.80 million hectares) were occupied, including two biosphere reserves, eight nature reserves and 10 national nature parks.

"It will be possible to determine the actual amount of damage and restoration needs after a survey of the relevant territories. This should be preceded by mine clearance, which, according to experts, can take decades," she said. What is more, 2.9 million hectares of the Emerald Network (160 territories) and 17 wetlands of international importance are also under threat of destruction.

"In many ways, nature will recover on its own, but in the case of individual territories and species, the implementation of appropriate restoration plans will be required," the minister noted.