Freek van der Vet is the Principal Investigator of the “Toxic Crimes Project” on environmental protection in armed conflict, at the University of Helsinki. Over the last 15 years, he has worked and published on human rights protection for victims of Russia’s armed conflicts and legal defense under authoritarianism
The Environmental Cost of the War in Ukraine
War always pollutes the environment, especially when it damages hazardous industries. Between 2014 and 2022, the conflict in Donbas in eastern Ukraine, a heavily industrialised region, has presented significant risks to the environment and public health of people living in the area.
April 7, 2022