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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Fires after Russian shelling leave not only ruined buildings but also dangerous pollution of the air, soil, and water. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to toxic substances can increase the risk of oncological and cardiovascular diseases, and the finest dust particles can penetrate directly into the bloodstream.
After every large-scale shelling, combustion products from buildings, equipment, and other materials enter the atmosphere. Along with the smoke, toxic gases, soot, and fine particulate matter spread, which can remain in the air even when visible smoke has disappeared.
Ukraine has documented thousands of cases of environmental damage caused by Russian aggression. Pollution is not limited to the sites of direct hits: wind carries dangerous particles into residential neighborhoods, and substances from burn sites can enter the soil and water.
How serious this threat is is shown by air and soil studies conducted by specialists at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Kyiv, five hours after another Russian strike, specialists collected air samples near a children's playground in one of the sleeping districts. The wind carried the black smoke from the impact site in that direction.
Dr. Lidiya Tymoshenko explained that special equipment allows measuring concentrations of formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. Air is pumped through a system of filters and absorbers that trap dust and help determine the content of dangerous substances.
In addition to the air, experts collected soil samples near benches and in areas where children play. The soil will be tested for petroleum products, chlorides, and heavy metals including lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc.
During laboratory analysis, the collected soil is dried and sieved, and the amount of dust is determined by its mass on special filters.
On the day of measurements, the dust concentration in the air remained within normal limits. This was helped by windy weather and a high number of trees near the sampling site. At the same time, experts detected the presence of formaldehyde.
According to Lidiya Tymoshenko, this substance may have previously been absent in the air. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde poses a danger to the respiratory system and can cause eye irritation.
A particular threat after shelling is the invisible dust particles formed when concrete, roofing materials, and various structures are destroyed.
Head of the Center for Respiratory Medicine and Allergology at Fochnik Clinic “Feofania,” Svitlana Huk, explained that large soot and dust particles tend to be trapped in the upper respiratory tract. In contrast, micro-particles can penetrate much deeper.
They reach the most distant parts of the bronchi, arrive at the alveoli, and can enter the bloodstream. Prolonged exposure to such pollution is associated with an increased risk of vascular diseases, in particular heart attacks and strokes.
At the same time, the absence of a smell of smoke or visible smoke does not mean the air is safe.
Expert Arina Petrosyan noted that particles smaller than 2,5 micrometers can remain in the atmosphere for a day and be carried by the wind over long distances.
Pollution after hostilities poses danger not only to residents of large cities. In de-occupied territories, people continue to live near places where military equipment burned, and toxic substances could have entered the soil and water sources.
Larisa Pykhna, whose mother lived in the village of Velika Doroga in Chernihiv region, spoke about the consequences of Russian occupation.
She said that Russian soldiers placed armored vehicles directly in neighbors' yards and gardens, using civilians as human shields.
During one of the battles in the village, about thirty units of Russian armored vehicles burned. The fires were accompanied by extensive smoke over residential areas.
Several years after the settlement was liberated, Larisa began noticing deaths of fellow villagers from cancer, in particular lung cancer.
She told of a young man who died of lung cancer leaving young children behind, and of a local nurse who died of the same disease.
Larisa herself lost 63-year-old mother Nadya. At first, the woman's back pain was attributed to hard physical work.
After her mother's death, Larisa underwent genetic testing for hereditary cancer risk. She says the tests did not reveal such a predisposition.
The woman links the deaths of locals to the consequences of fighting and large-scale fires during the occupation. At the same time, these cases do not by themselves establish a medical causal relationship between pollution and cancer development in specific people.
Zaporizhzhia oncologist Oleksiy Kovalov warns that the consequences of prolonged exposure to pollution during war may manifest years later.
The head of the Department of Oncology and Onco-surgery at Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University pointed to experiences of countries that endured large-scale hostilities.
He noted that in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Balkans there were increases in cancer incidence of various types, including lung, liver, pancreas, and melanoma.
Kovalov also cited data on increasing cervical cancer in post-war Vietnam by 360%.
Separately, a doctor mentioned northern Iraq, which suffered intensive air and missile strikes. He said that 5–10 years after the fighting there was a sharp rise in breast cancer.
At the same time, such historical observations do not allow directly determining how much cancer incidence will rise in Ukraine. To establish specific risks, it is necessary to consider the nature of pollution, duration of exposure, and other factors.
Another danger is heavy metals that remain at sites of destroyed military equipment.
Field medic of the volunteer battalion “Hospitallers,” Ruslan Meleshko, collected soil samples in Zaporizhzhia after targeted airstrikes near a burned tank in Kurakhove, Donetsk region, and in de-occupied Kyiv region.
In his observations, significant soil contamination with heavy metals is primarily associated with places of burning equipment, not only with the action of explosive substances.
During fires, metal structures, electronic components, and batteries break down, which contain various metals, including lead and zinc.
The highest concentrations of pollutants are observed directly under burning sites. Over time, dangerous substances can enter groundwater.
In the village of Velika Doroga, residents have already complained about murky water and an unusual taste. At the same time, people continue to cultivate crops on land where military vehicles burned during the fighting.
To reduce the impact of polluted air after shelling, specialists recommend using respirators capable of trapping fine dust and monitoring air quality indicators.
In case of high pollution, it is better to stay indoors, close windows, and regularly perform wet cleaning. If you need to leave a building near the explosion site, move against the wind direction to avoid entering the smoke cloud.
Doctors also recommend regular preventive examinations, including cancer screenings appropriate to age and individual risk, and to quit smoking and alcohol and to foster healthy habits in children.
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