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.