"Aside from the actual fighting, Bobitski says Russian troops are trying to systematically destroy farms and farm equipment as they push deeper into the country.
That's because the Russian invasion has made an enormous part of Ukraine a war zone and off-limits to food production.
"If things stand as they are, it's very likely that we will be able to safely use only 30 to 50 per cent of arable land," said Nazar Bobitski, who works at the Ukrainian Business and Trade office.
Planting season set to begin
A former Ukrainian diplomat, Bobitski is typically based in Brussels, where he works with European countries to help get Ukrainian farm exports to foreign markets.
But since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, he has returned to Lviv to try to help the country's farming community chart an extremely difficult course over the months ahead.
Aside from the actual fighting, Bobitski says Russian troops are trying to systematically destroy farms and farm equipment as they push deeper into the country.
"One of the very horrific features of this Russian war is that the Russian troops are deliberately targeting and destroying agricultural machinery in Donetsk Oblast, and also near Chernihiv and Sumy," Bobitski said. "They really pursue the scorched earth policy as far as [Ukraine's] agricultural facilities are concerned."
Aside from the dangers farmers face because of bombings and missile attacks, Ukraine's government claims Russian forces have dropped landmines from the air over a huge swath of agricultural area, rendering it unsafe"
That's because the Russian invasion has made an enormous part of Ukraine a war zone and off-limits to food production.
"If things stand as they are, it's very likely that we will be able to safely use only 30 to 50 per cent of arable land," said Nazar Bobitski, who works at the Ukrainian Business and Trade office.
Planting season set to begin
A former Ukrainian diplomat, Bobitski is typically based in Brussels, where he works with European countries to help get Ukrainian farm exports to foreign markets.
But since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, he has returned to Lviv to try to help the country's farming community chart an extremely difficult course over the months ahead.
Aside from the actual fighting, Bobitski says Russian troops are trying to systematically destroy farms and farm equipment as they push deeper into the country.
"One of the very horrific features of this Russian war is that the Russian troops are deliberately targeting and destroying agricultural machinery in Donetsk Oblast, and also near Chernihiv and Sumy," Bobitski said. "They really pursue the scorched earth policy as far as [Ukraine's] agricultural facilities are concerned."
Aside from the dangers farmers face because of bombings and missile attacks, Ukraine's government claims Russian forces have dropped landmines from the air over a huge swath of agricultural area, rendering it unsafe"
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