Russian invaders have destroyed all vegetation on the reserved island of Dzharylhach off the coast of the temporarily occupied region of Kherson.
Serhii Danylov, deputy director of the Center for Middle East Studies, reported this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.
“The occupiers completely burned Dzharylgach,” Danilov wrote.
In the comments to the post, he clarified that “all the vegetation, all the trees from the lighthouse to the west burned down.”
The day before, on June 29, the press service of the Skadovsk City Council reported that at night, a fire was seen over the eastern part of Dzharylgach, which could indicate a large-scale fire.
Dzharylgach Island is part of the Dzharylgach National Nature Park, and the coastal habitats are included in the Bern Convention resolution, meaning they are of pan-European importance. The invaders set up a military training ground on the island and connected the island to the mainland. According to experts, this will have catastrophic consequences for natural ecosystems. In particular, the island was home to wild ungulates such as mouflon, deer, and various species of birds, and dozens of plant species were rare habitats and had a protected status.
As reported, UN experts will assess the environmental impact of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion.
Source: Invaders destroy all vegetation on Dzharylhach Island - expert