Remote sensing and geospatial modeling for the detection of war-induced land use abandonment, soil disturbance, and degradation in Sumy region of Ukraine: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31548/zemleustriy2026.03.015Keywords:
remote sensing, geospatial modeling, abandoned land, soil degradation, armed conflict, machine learning, land damage assessmentAbstract
The full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has caused multidimensional transformations of agricultural landscapes, land cover, and ecosystems. The Sumy region, located along the northeastern border with the Russian Federation, is a critical region that has suffered from intense fighting, prolonged artillery shelling, and ongoing border clashes during the study period from 2022 to May 2026. This paper systematically evaluates the application of remote sensing and geospatial modeling techniques to detect, quantify, and monitor war-induced land abandonment, as well as physical land cover disturbances, chemical contamination, and broader environmental degradation in this theater of war. Combining recent scientific publications on the war in Ukraine and comparative global examples (Syria, Iraq, and Sudan), the effectiveness of integrating multi-sensor data, including optical (Sentinel-2, Landsat), synthetic aperture radar (SAR; Sentinel-1), thermal, and very high resolution (VHR; Maxar, WorldView) platforms, as well as advanced machine and deep learning algorithms (Random Forest, Deep Learning) and time series analysis (FANTA, two-period curve approximation), is assessed. The results of the study show that while geospatial modeling is an indispensable tool for rapid, large-scale, and non-contact damage assessment in active conflict settings, significant critical research gaps remain, namely separating short-term cessation of agricultural use from actual land abandonment caused by war, verifying such facts in the face of a severe shortage of reliable ground data, and managing sensitive geospatial information. This systematic review highlights existing methodological gaps and outlines future perspectives needed to build a harmonized spatial monitoring system capable of guiding post-conflict recovery and environmental remediation based on actual remote sensing data at the regional scale.
Received: 01.07.2026;
Accepted:26.08.2026;
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