Zelensky accuses Russia of ecocide: ‘Tens of thousands of dolphins have drifted along the Black Sea coast’ | Ukraine and Russia war

An estimated two million dolphins have swam in the Black Sea in the past century, but their populations have been greatly reduced due to hunting and pollution. Research has shown that there were about 250,000 dolphins left in 2020. Now there are even fewer. The Tuzly Estuaries Marine Natural Park in Ukraine estimates that at least 50,000 dolphins in the Black Sea have died as a result of the war, which is 20 percent of the total population.

According to experts, the death of dolphins in the Black Sea can be explained by the presence of submarines and warships, which “imposed enormous pressure on the marine environment.”

Many scientists point to the military sonar used by Russian warships as the cause of the mass deaths.

Today, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of “ecological annihilation” as a direct result of the invasion. “The Russian war has a huge impact on nature in our country,” Zelensky said in a social media post, denouncing the “devastating impact” on ecosystems.

The president also said that environmental protection authorities “are gathering evidence of these crimes and intend to hold Russia responsible for this ecocide in Ukraine.”