KYIV – Thousands of locusts have invaded southern Ukraine, with authorities blaming Russia for the devastation its troops have caused to farmland and infrastructure. While this is not the first time Ukraine has experienced swarms of locusts, the problem is bigger this year. One of the worst-hit areas is the site of the former Kakhovka water reservoir, which drained after Russian troops blew up its dam in 2023 to halt the advance of Ukrainian forces. “Let’s be honest, to the greatest extent, the main reason for this is war … Abandoned farmlands near the contact line, destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. Locust invasion is a consequence of Russia’s ecocide against Ukraine,” Vadym Chaykovskyi, deputy head of the State Service for Food and Consumer Protection of Ukraine, told agrarian news website Latifundist. According to Chaykovskyi, locust outbreaks have occurred in regions of conflict since 2022. In 2023, locusts were detected in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson and in 2024, they were observed in two districts of the Kharkiv region. However, previous outbreaks were to a lesser extent than this year, Chaykovskyi said. So far this year, locust outbreaks have been reported in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Odesa, with some sightings also reported in the Dnipro and Vinnytsia regions. Locusts can devastate crops and grasses grown for human consumption and livestock in a remarkably short period of time. Local authorities say the insect invasion is under control, but in Zaporizhzhia, authorities had to use insecticide to eliminate the bugs that had swarmed over more than 6,000 hectares. Chaykovskyi said that so far, locusts have not damaged Ukraine’s harvest, as they are concentrated in areas close to the Dnipro River and other bodies of water. The State Service for Food and Consumer Protection has requested that farmers remain on high alert and monitor their fields to prevent potential crop losses.