Ukraine warned of the environmental disaster in the Donbas
Due to the flooding of mines and rising water levels in the Donbas, the level of radiation will increase, making it necessary to gradually resettle people from the region, as stated by the Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, George Tuka, on Channel 5.
"It's not about saving the Donbas at all. We can forget about it. We are talking about the gradual resettlement of the people from the region, because people will not be able to live there for 10 years," he said, referring to a report from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on the humanitarian disaster in the Donbas.
Tuka added that pollution and radiation will affect Russian territory as well.
"Just as we will suffer, Moscow will suffer, it's our common misfortune. They will not be able to wall this off," he said.
According to the Deputy Minister, 88% of the drinking water reserves in the Luhansk region that are controlled by Ukraine have already been declared unfit for use.
Tuka added that in connection with the ecological disaster in the Donbas, international discussions must be initiated.
"I have realized that the problem needs to be raised to a high level and international discussions must be initiated to find a solution to this problem ... it's necessary to "yell" before the whole of Europe about the possible consequences," he said.
According to UNICEF, 750,000 children in the Donbas could be left without access to drinking water.