Environmental threats to Russian borderlands

Abstract

The ecogeographical position of Russia with respect to foreign sources of ecological hazards, their distribution channels, and barriers are identified. External threats to ecological security localized in border areas are considered. The catchment area where Russia’s “imported” river runoff is formed amounts to more than 2 mln km². This area is home to more than 80 mln people. Due to western air mass transfer, atmospheric pollutions enter Russian territory from all over Europe, but the main “exporters” are Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. Areas of concentration of external ecological threats to Russia are identified, such as the Chernobyl nuclear power plant area, the Ukrainian part of the Severskii Donets basin, the Kazakhstan part of the Irtysh River basin, and China’s Amur (Heilong) River basin. In environmental terms, Russia is suffering from neighboring countries more than they are. This should be taken into account and used in foreign policy.