SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES IN ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF WAR AND MANAGING LAND RESTORATION

Abstract

The full-scale war in Ukraine has caused large-scale environmental degradation, including soil contamination by explosive remnants, heavy metals, fuel products, and other toxic substances, the loss of agricultural land, destruction of forest ecosystems, damage to protected areas, and disruption of environmental monitoring systems. Under conditions of limited physical access to affected territories, satellite technologies and remote sensing data have become a key instrument for objective, safe, and large-scale environmental assessment. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the role of satellite technologies as an analytical and management tool for evaluating war-related environmental damage and supporting evidence-based land restoration strategies.

The research analyzes the potential of optical, radar, and infrared satellite imagery, as well as spectral indices (NDVI, SAVI, EVI, NDWI) for detecting vegetation loss, soil degradation, moisture changes, thermal anomalies, and landscape transformation. The integration of remote sensing data with geographic information systems (GIS), cadastral information, and environmental databases enables multi-level spatial analysis, damage mapping, prioritization of rehabilitation areas, and monitoring of ecosystem recovery dynamics. Particular attention is paid to time-series analysis and automated image processing using machine learning methods, which significantly increase the speed and accuracy of environmental diagnostics in conflict-affected regions.

The paper summarizes international experience in applying satellite monitoring in post-conflict countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, where remote sensing supported rapid environmental assessment, land-use change detection, and planning of ecological rehabilitation measures. The study emphasizes that satellite data should be institutionalized within Ukraine’s environmental governance framework, recognized as legally significant for damage assessment, and integrated into strategic environmental assessment, spatial planning, and land management policies. It is argued that satellite monitoring should be considered not only as a tool for documenting environmental losses but also as a foundation for a long-term national system of environmental control and post-war land restoration. Effective implementation requires interagency coordination, open data access, investment in geospatial infrastructure, and professional training in GIS and remote sensing. The development of a national satellite-based environmental monitoring system will enhance transparency, support international reporting, improve decision-making, and contribute to sustainable recovery and environmental security in Ukraine.