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Ukraine war’s environmental toll to take years to clean up

Tetyana Samoilenko, 51, walks near the flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. "I feel depressed — there's water all around and under my house," said Demydiv resident Tatiana Samoilenko. "I don't see much changing in the future." (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Tetyana Samoilenko, 51, walks near the flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. "I feel depressed — there's water all around and under my house," said Demydiv resident Tatiana Samoilenko. "I don't see much changing in the future." (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Iryna Stetcenko stands in a yard of her house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine’s war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. The World Wildlife Fund in Ukraine says more than 6 million people have limited or no access to clean water. “We don’t have another option. We don’t have money to buy bottles,” Iryna Stetcenko told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Iryna Stetcenko pets a dog in a yard of her house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine’s war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. The World Wildlife Fund in Ukraine says more than 6 million people have limited or no access to clean water. “We don’t have another option. We don’t have money to buy bottles,” Iryna Stetcenko told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Iryna Stetcenko shows her flooded apartment in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine’s war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. The World Wildlife Fund in Ukraine says more than 6 million people have limited or no access to clean water. “We don’t have another option. We don’t have money to buy bottles,” Iryna Stetcenko told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) People fish in a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. After the flood in Demydiv, residents said their tap water turned cloudy, tasted funny and left a film on pots and pans after cooking. The village was under Moscow's control until April, when Russian troops withdrew after failing to take the capital. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) People fish in a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. After the flood in Demydiv, residents said their tap water turned cloudy, tasted funny and left a film on pots and pans after cooking. The village was under Moscow's control until April, when Russian troops withdrew after failing to take the capital. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Because of the war, more than 6 million Ukrainians have limited or no access to clean water, and more than 280,000 hectares (nearly 692,000 acres) of forests have been destroyed or felled, according to the World Wildlife Fund. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) People fish in a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. After the flood in Demydiv, residents said their tap water turned cloudy, tasted funny and left a film on pots and pans after cooking. The village was under Moscow's control until April, when Russian troops withdrew after failing to take the capital. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Because of the war, more than 6 million Ukrainians have limited or no access to clean water, and more than 280,000 hectares (nearly 692,000 acres) of forests have been destroyed or felled, according to the World Wildlife Fund. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Because of the war, more than 6 million Ukrainians have limited or no access to clean water, and more than 280,000 hectares (nearly 692,000 acres) of forests have been destroyed or felled, according to the World Wildlife Fund. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a flooded area in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. After the flood in Demydiv, residents said their tap water turned cloudy, tasted funny and left a film on pots and pans after cooking. The village was under Moscow's control until April, when Russian troops withdrew after failing to take the capital. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A yard of Olga Lehan's house is seen flooded in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Potatoes float in a flooded basement of Olga Lehan's house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A rooster walks in a yard of Olga Lehan's house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Olga Lehan, 71, stands in a yard of her house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Olga Lehan, 71, walks in a yard of her house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Olga Lehan, 71, walks in a yard of her house in the village of Demydiv, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2022. Olga Lehan's home near the Irpin River was flooded when Ukraine destroyed a dam to prevent Russian forces from storming the capital of Kyiv just days into the war. Weeks later, the water from her tap turned brown from pollution. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Workers clean up at a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine's war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A worker walks at a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine's war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A worker walks at a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine's war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine's war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) Workers inspect a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine’s war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko) A view of a fuel depot hit by Russian missile in the town of Kalynivka, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Environmental damage caused by Ukraine’s war is mounting in the 8-month-old conflict, and experts warn of long-term health consequences for the population. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko)