Russia’s defense minister has asked President Vladimir Putin for permission to clear large swaths of Ukrainian forests to sell off in support of its invasion of the country — and possibly eliminate possible defensive positions, Ukraine’s intelligence service and are some media are claiming.
“Felling is planned at sites of any density and age, regardless of the form of ownership and category of land,” read a letter from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Putin and intercepted by the Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the FIS, said.
The letter is titled “On The Possibility of Felling Trees on Captured Territories” and is signed by Shoigu. Newsmax could not independently verify the veracity of the letter.
The letter seeks permission to cut down “forests, trees, shrubs, and green spaces” on all occupied territories to support Russia’s industry and armed forces. Anything left will be either sold internationally or systematically destroyed.
“Today all forests and green spaces that are occupied by Russia are at extremely high risk. This is yet another war crime and is genocide of Ukraine’s land,” the FIS said in a statement.
Often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe,” Ukraine’s fertile soil provided more than 25% of the agricultural output of the former Soviet Union, according to the CIA’s World Factbook.
“This happened during the fascist occupation of Ukraine. The enemy would either destroy or ship trees and Ukraine’s ‘black earth’ abroad,” the FIS added.
The Ukrainian Defense Express website suggested the request could remove large dense areas for the country’s military to create defensive positions.
Ukraine officials have said Russia already has created billions in damage to the country’s ecology, including the destruction of an oil refinery near the capital of Kyiv.
“According to initial estimates the damage done to the environment is wrought 810 billion hryvnas [$27 billion]. The exact estimates are being assessed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine,” said Ruslan Strilets, minister for ecology.
Ukraine is suing Russia in the U.N. International Court of Justice for a complete reimbursement of the environmental damage.
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