Disrupted landscapes and symbolic shifts: Land discourses in Ukrainian media after russia’s full-scale invasion

Media play a central role in conveying what happens to land and ecosystems as they suffer war-induced disruptions when physical access is dangerous and restricted. We conducted a discourse analysis of Ukrainian media coverage on the destruction and recovery of landscapes and ecosystems since russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. We found that, while much war-related academic debate focuses on questions of territory, questions of land are actively debated in Ukrainian media. Land is represented as a symbol of collective suffering and an archive of violence, but also a symbol of regenerative capacity and recovery. Land damage and recovery are related to various economic, environmental, social and health issues with implications for present and future generations. While environmental concerns risk being sidelined in the face of other urgent war-related issues, particularly their long-term implications, are emphasised as important. Beyond covering relatively obvious damages, media articles address underlying and complex issues of environmental degradation and recovery, which seems critical given the land-related challenges in Ukraine today.