Russian occupation devastates crop yields in Kherson region

Russia’s military presence in the southern Kherson region has effectively destroyed agricultural productivity in the area, according to Ukraine’s National Resistance Center.

“Russian forces have begun tallying this year’s harvest — and the results are disastrous in the temporarily occupied areas of Kherson region,” the Center reported.

Critical declines in yields have been caused by sustained pressure on farmers, illegal extortion, and widespread infrastructure damage — including the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.

“Even the inflated official numbers show only 1.9 tons of crops per hectare — half of what was harvested in 2021,” the report said.

Meanwhile, Russian shelling continues in the liberated parts of Kherson. More than 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of wheat fields have been destroyed by fire in frontline rural communities on the western bank of the Dnipro River.

“Due to ongoing security threats and the risk of drone attacks, farmers are sometimes unable to begin harvesting,” Suspilne Kherson reports.

Russian drones have been targeting both farmers and agricultural equipment in the fields, said Dmytro Yunusov, head of the regional Department of Agricultural Development and Irrigation.

“We’ve already recorded the first fires caused by explosives dropped from drones and artillery strikes. There have been no cases of fires started by negligence or other accidental causes,” he said.