Russian army conducts “ecological terrorism”

The Russian occupation army has carried out deliberate actions to damage Georgia’s environment.

Russian helicopters have set fire to different places in the Borjomi-Kharagauli forest, previously declared a unique preservation zone by the Georgian government. Lots of preservation efforts, supported by international organizations, have been carried out there in the recent years. More than 200 hectares of unique forest have now been destroyed by fire, which Georgia tries to fight with the help of Turkish firefighters and aviation.

The National Park of Borjomi-Kharagauli is a member of the Association of European preserved territories. The Leader of the Green Party of Georgia, Gia Gachechiladze, has labeled the Russian action “ecological terrorism”. He said that Russian aggression has already seriously damaged the Georgian ecosystem, and that fifty years or more will be needed to reinstate previous ecological conditions in the forest, the burning of which will eventually cause the deterioration of the local climate. There is also a threat that it could influence mineral water supply.

Georgia should demand that international ecological organizations force Russia to compensate Georgia for the losses it has suffered due to the ongoing aggression. International law experts should be working in this direction as soon as war actions are over. Significantly, two years ago Moscow banned Georgian mineral water from entering Borjomi. Now it is trying to destroy the water itself.