Russia poisons Ukrainian rivers: is Kyiv at risk?

Russians have poisoned the Seym River, the largest tributary of the Desna, which flows into Ukraine from the Kursk region. According to the State Agency for Fisheries, the occupiers likely dumped toxic waste into the river, leading to extensive pollution.

The pollution has led to a massive fish die-off. The affected area now spans the entire Seym River basin in the Sumy region and even into the Chernihiv region. The water has turned black, and there is a noticeable smell of decay and ammonia.

“Currently, neither the local environmental inspection, nor the fisheries agency, nor the Ministry of Ecology can precisely identify the source of the pollution. It is known for certain that it is upstream of the Seym River, in the border area or within the Kursk region,” reports Novynarnia in their coverage from the Chernihiv region.

The State Environmental Inspection of the Sumy Region suspects that the pollution affecting the Seym River basin may have originated from several enterprises in Russia. “It could even be the city of Kursk itself. Russian media have reported issues with its wastewater management and sewage. … Another major suspect is a leather factory in the city of Rylsk. Also ‘under suspicion’ are a sugar or alcohol plant in Tetkino near the border,” the report states.

The nearest drinking water intake to the pollution zone is located in the Kyiv region. “According to the Kyiv City State Administration, the water quality in the capital is under control: ‘Relevant services continuously monitor the condition of drinking water in Kyiv and the waters of the Desna and Dnipro rivers.’ If the water quality deteriorates, Kyivvodokanal [utility company responsible for water supply and wastewater management in Kyiv – ed.] promises to take all necessary measures to enhance purification,” journalist Stas Kozliuk summarizes.