Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine has caused extensive environmental destruction, including ecosystem degradation, pollution, infrastructure damage, and the contamination of agricultural and natural landscapes. This project examines how environmentalism can function as an integral component of strategic neutralization, an emerging military strategy centered on Ukraine’s ability to survive, adapt, and develop under prolonged conditions of war. Drawing from environmental science, policy, military strategy, urban planning, and ethics, the researcher develops a framework organized around three concepts: recovery, which considers the possibilities and ethical limitations of war-wilding and rewilding in conflict-affected landscapes; remediation, which examines remote sensing, mapping technologies, environmental cleanup, and local knowledge as complementary approaches to addressing wartime damage; and resourcification, which explores the historical and contemporary treatment of Ukraine’s land as a source of extraction while considering opportunities for sustainable urban reconstruction and green recovery. Together, these perspectives demonstrate how environmental planning can extend strategic neutralization beyond military defense toward ecological resilience and long-term recovery.
Oxford was the perfect setting to complete this work, paired with a mentor who had extensive experience in Ukraine and a plethora of knowledge to share. The university provided an extremely motivating environment that fostered deep conversations about difficult questions, sparking intellectual curiosity and motivating the exploration of challenging issues in environmental recovery and policy. Living, studying, and conducting independent research at Oxford became one of the most meaningful parts of my undergraduate education, showing how multiple passions and skills can unite through interdisciplinary research and leaving me with a strong ambition to return for graduate study.
Anya Shram