Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is causing severe damage not only to landscapes and ecosystems but also to the mental well-being of millions of people. Ecocide and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) are two concepts that have been recognized since the 1970s. They are often used to describe the current environmental and psychosocial consequences of war. The lecture addresses the history and scope of these two concepts. It documents ecological war crimes such as the Russian destruction of the Kachovka Dam, the massive release of toxins, and the severe damage to nature reserves. The practices and ideas of “war wilding” — that is, nature-based defense programs — will also be discussed. Russia and Ukraine are taking different approaches to addressing the trauma of war. Ukraine relies on civil society initiatives and international support. The authoritarian Putin regime, on the other hand, believes that state-controlled programs alone are sufficient to provide the necessary psychosocial care to the many victims of war. Trauma is often downplayed using pseudoscientific concepts.

Klaus Gestwa, since 2009 professor and director of the Institute for Eastern European History and Area Studies at the University of Tübingen. His research focuses on the history of the environment, technology, and science in the Soviet Union, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the history of Russia and Ukraine since 1991. He has led several international research projects. Since 2022, he has been writing analyses on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Publications: Die „Stalinschen Großbauten des Kommunismus“. Sowjetische Technik- und Umweltgeschichte 1948-1967 (book: 2010); Soviet Nuclear Modernity. Transnational dimensions, decentering dynamics and enduring legacies (= Special Issue: Cahiers du Monde Russe, 2019); Erinnerungskonflikte in Osteuropa (= Special Issue: Geschichte in Wissenschaft und Unterricht, 2024).

The lecture will take place at Vilnius University Faculty of History, auditorium no. 211 

Date: 19 October, 2026
Time: 17:00 / 5pm

The lecture is organized by our branch office in Vilnius.