A massive locust invasion is threatening sunflower and other crops in Ukraine's southern regions, largely caused by the war against Russia's invasion that makes it impossible to use traditional pest control methods, officials and producers say.

Kushuhum

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Southern Ukraine is experiencing severe locust infestations, with swarms damaging crops in regions near the front line. Farmers report that up to a third of sunflower crops have been destroyed, and the situation is described as unprecedented by those affected.

Officials attribute the outbreak to the ongoing conflict, which has made pest control measures such as aerial spraying impossible and led to increased neglected land. The destruction of infrastructure and the absence of natural predators due to fighting have further worsened the crisis, threatening Ukraine's position as a major agricultural exporter.

Locusts swarm in south Ukraine as war disrupts pest control

Crops in Ukraine's southern regions are under attack from locusts that are breeding in inaccessible areas near the front line. The insects are capable of devastating crops in days, and officials say Russia's war has made using traditional pest control methods impossible. In the Zaporizhia region, swarms of locusts have been covering roads, fields and bushes, and producers say the insects have destroyed up to a third of their sunflower crops. Small-scale farmer Oleg Tomaltov says it's never been as bad. We saw a big swarm, and the next day the infantry marched in. The small ones ate everything that was hanging low. They ate everything. The big ones flew around and then flew away. And the small ones crawled. And they are still here, still jumping around. They covered everything like a big blanket. Local and government officials declined to provide data on the extent of the infestation or damage caused. But Ukraine's chief phytosanitary inspector, Vadim Tchaikovsky, says the war is squarely to blame. He explains that in addition to high temperatures, the conflict has resulted in an increased amount of neglected land. The inability to use aircraft for spraying and the absence of birds that would prey on them due to the fighting is further complicating the crisis. Ukraine is the world's largest sunflower oil exporter, and before the war ranked fifth among wheat exporters. But war has changed the landscape. According to Denis Marchuk, deputy head of Ukraine's largest farm producers' union, the UAC, the destruction of the Kharkovka Dam on the Dnipro River by Russian forces in 2023 created vast, swampy areas ideal for locust breeding.

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Locusts swarm in south Ukraine as war disrupts pest control

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Ukraine Invasion