Ukraine’s air quality changes after missile attacks: Cleaner yet hazardous, scientists say
Scientists have for the first time assessed the impact of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine’s atmosphere. The “ecological paradox of war” shows how attacks on factories affect both public health and the climate.
The war has affected air quality in Ukraine / © Getty Images
Over four years of full-scale invasion, the composition of the air Ukrainians breathe has undergone radical changes. Scientists from the National Academy of Sciences and the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute have identified what they call the “ecological paradox of war”: despite the shutdown of major factories, health risks have only grown.
The report by TSN correspondent Natalia Tkachuk examines why cleaner air does not equal safer air and which regions have been hit hardest.
Air quality monitoring in Kyiv
In Kyiv, a monitoring post resembling a high school chemistry lab checks the air four times a day. Researchers focus on formaldehyde, a colorless toxic gas linked to industrial pollution and fires. Air passes through a Richter flask for 20 minutes, letting scientists produce the first global analysis of a major war’s impact on the atmosphere.
The “ecological paradox of war”
Satellite and lab data shocked experts. Average pollution levels fell slightly after factory shutdowns, but extreme spikes during missile strikes surged. Mykhailo Savenets of the Hydrometeorological Institute said: “Average levels may have dropped, but each spike carries a bigger threat than pre-war emissions.” Explosions, fires, and diesel generators pushed toxin concentrations up 400–1,000%.
The missile strike on the Izovat plant in Zhytomyr, which produced mineral wool, sent pollution soaring 10,000%.
Health and the “Mariupol patch”
Maps reveal zones of change. A “clean patch” over Mariupol appeared after Azovstal’s destruction, but unregulated emissions from warfare and fires remain far more dangerous than pre-war industrial air.
Doctors are already recording the consequences for the population:
- Weakened immunity: the body becomes more vulnerable to viruses and temperature fluctuations.
- Chronic fatigue: reduced energy and difficulties with concentration.
- Rising illnesses: an increase in cases of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and cancer is expected.
Climate сhallenge and "green reconstruction"
The Ministry of Economy already estimates environmental damage at a staggering 6.4 trillion hryvnias. These are not just numbers — they are a direct cause of climate change in Ukraine.
Anna Koryahina of NGO Ecodia warns: “Droughts, floods, unusual snowfall, and dust storms will become common. Summers will get hotter, and weather anomalies will be the new normal.”
Scientists call for a "green reconstruction": decentralized energy, energy-efficient buildings, and renewables — the only way to restore Ukraine’s ecosystems after decades of industrial pressure and war.